Darkness of past, Song of future
by silent song of shadows
Summary: Melody didn't choose to have her mother die an early death. Melody didn't choose to have magical powers that set her apart from the muggle world. Her life has been directed by things out of her control, things she cannot change. But now she has the power to make the choices that will decide her future. What will she choose? What path will she take? I do not own Harry Potter!
1. My unexpected adventure

**A/N Hi everyone! This is my first Harry Potter fanfiction. I do not own the Harry Potter series or anything that belongs to it as I am not J.K. Rowling (according to my reality check). So, I hope you enjoy this and I would greatly appreciate any comments or suggestions you would feel inclined to give. This is a story about a character I made up who ends up becoming involved in Harry's adventures. She may seem rather normal (for a witch), but she has many hidden secrets...**

I closed my eyes and let the breeze waft through my hair. I inhaled deeply, smelling the fresh air after last night's thunderstorm. Everything was so tranquil. Puffy clouds dotted the sky that was the same shade of blue as my eyes. Laughter drifted up from the playground below my leafy perch. I blinked my eyes open, gazing around at the forest that surrounded my oak tree. Leaves rustled gently, squirrels chattered and birds flitted from tree to tree twittering happily.

I love heights.

"Where is she?" Complaining voices sounded from the forest floor. I smirked and shrunk further into the clump of leaves that shielded me from my playmates' view.

"Honestly, every time we play hide-and-seek with Melody we never find her."

"It's so unfair. She's so thin she can hide anywhere." I trembled with silent laughter. They'd never find me here!

"Boys! Time to go!" Mrs. Bleeken's voice cut sharply through to air.

What? Already? Why did John and Davy and Ken have to always go home so early? Mutterings about being unable to find me and not wanting to go home from the boys I had been playing with.

I sighed and jumped from my tree, laughing as I sped through the air. I hit the ground gently and bounced along until I reached the edge of the forest where my mom sat on a park bench waiting for me.

"There you are." Her gentle voice sounded relieved as I ran over to hug her. The smell of her perfume made me feel like I was in a garden of flowers.

"I did it again mom!" I gasped excitedly.

"Did what?"

"Jumped from the top of a ginormous tree!"

"What?" She sounded alarmed. Mom pushed me away slightly and held me at arms length as she looked at me worriedly.

"I bounced all the way here when I hit the ground!" I said happily. "Want me to show you mom? It's fun!" I giggled.

"Oh, Melody." Mom hugged me again, sounding sad.

"What's wrong mom?" I felt scared. Why was my mom sad?

"Nothing, Melody. Noth-" She stopped suddenly, standing up and covering me with the dark green cloak she always wore. I peeked out and saw a strange old man standing a little ways away from us. He had a funny purple cloak on and was holding a stick in his hand.

"Hello, Lydia." He had a creepy voice. "It's been a long, long time." He gave a not nice smile. My mom was stiff. She suddenly picked me up and ran into the woods.

"STOP!" Someone yelled at us. Something flew past us and hit a tree.

"STOP RIGHT THERE OR ELSE!" Scary people were running after us. Things were flying around and I was scared.

"What's going on?" I whispered, clinging to my mom.

"Melody... boot.. near... clearing... touch... boot.." She panted. Then she jumped to the side and just dropped me by the roots of a tree! I looked around, frightened. Some people were running after my mom with sticks that shot light at her. They looked mean. They wanted to hurt my mom!

I ran after her. They couldn't hurt her. They couldn't!

My mom was in a clearing, crouching on the ground surrounded by a bunch of grey people that made me feel cold and scared. The people were drifting above the ground. Were they ghosts? One of them turned and started drifting towards me. I wanted to run, but my legs were shaking and I felt sick. It stooped over me as I shrank back against the trunk of a tree. It slowly lowered its hood and I whimpered in fear. It had an awful face. It slowly and deliberately grabbed me with cold hands and lowered its head. I heard my mom yell something and then she was there, snatching me from it and covering me with herself. Then the thing did something to her and she went limp.

The bad people came running out of the trees and shot something silver at the grey creatures that scared them away from my mom. I froze as they walked towards her. Why didn't she run? Why was she just lying there?

One of the men said a naughty word.

"Too late. The dementors kissed her." Then he said something weird like 'adava kevana' and my mom stopped breathing.

He killed her.

I couldn't move or they'd kill me too. I tried to stay calm, but my heart was going flip flop. I looked around wildly and saw an old boot at the edge of the clearing. Was that the one mom had told me to touch? Would it bring her back to life?

"We'd better take her body back." Said a woman quietly. They came nearer. I had to run. A man picked up my mom and I dashed for the boot.

"Wha' the-" I didn't hear anything else. As soon as I touched the boot something jerked me away and I found myself shaking on the edge of a road, lying on the ground in tears.

**So, thank you for reading the chapter! It is a bit short but they will be longer in the future. This is a bit of background and will help you understand what happens later in the story. I hope you enjoyed this and I would love comments!**

Until next time,

**Silent Song of Shadows (Shadow)**


	2. Is this just a dream?

**A/N So, yeah... I felt like writing some more so here's the next part. Yet again, reality has taken to beating me over the head to clarify that I don't own Harry Potter or any of J.K. Rowling's characters (Le sigh) Comments are more than welcome! *hint-hint nudge-nudge***

**Thank you so much lostfeather1 for being the first to comment! I hope you enjoy the meeting between Harry and Melody... it made me laugh when I thought it up.**

"Get up!"

I blearily looked up at the girl who stood over me.

"I said, get up!" Pain exploded in my head as she kicked me in the face. I scrambled to my feet and stood facing the stocky red haired girl who glared at me.

"Get ready. Visiting day." She sneered and strutted away. I groaned silently as I stumbled into my day clothes and tidying up my pitiful living space. I didn't want to go to visiting day. I didn't want to have to endure being scrutinized by couples who were trying to decide if I was good enough to come live with them or teachers who were taking the best and brightest to come study at their schools. Blethering Orphanage was trial enough already, and if I was to get accepted at one of the schools I'd probably be mocked for being a nerd. I didn't want to go to some school where everyone knew me as an orphan taken in out of charity.

Orphan.

How I hate that word.

For three years I had had to endure people looking at me with pity or contempt as they looked at the poor little orphan girl. Three years since mom had died. Three years of misery. I shuffled out of my corner and into the hall where the rest of the eleven year olds stood talking excitedly. I looked down at my scuffed toe-pinching shoes and didn't look at anyone.

"Hey, Rat! Think you'll get chosen?" Jeering taunts came my way from the rest of the orphans. Ever since I had had a dream that I was a rat and had told a girl I thought was my friend who told the whole orphanage I had been known as 'rat'. I didn't rise to the taunts. It had been two years since I had cared about them. Laughter filled the air as the group trundled down to the dining room to get there breakfast, making sure that I was last in line as usual. I sat in a corner, not participating in the eager conversations that buzzed around the room. I didn't care about visiting day. Nobody wanted me. I wasn't good enough.

A harsh-looking woman swept into the room and all was silent except for the scraping of chairs as we all rose to our feet in respect.

"Now then, all of you should know how this day works by now." Her sharp voice snapped. "All of you return to your rooms to await our visitors except for Gwetheren." All eyes turned to stare at me. "You are to accompany me. Does everyone understand?"

"Yes, Miss Cranmer." The flat response echoed through the room as the rest of the children filed out, almost all of them giving me nasty looks that said they hoped that I was getting sent away at last. I silently followed Miss Cranmer, wondering what I had done this time. She led me into a side room.

"Miss Gwetheren." She announced stiffly as I entered before closing the door behind me. An old man in blue robes was sitting on a couch off to the side.

"Come in and have a seat." He ordered gently. I warily obeyed, sitting down in the armchair he gestured to.

"So we meet at last. I am Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, and you are undoubtedly Melody Rose Gwetheren." How did he know my second name? I never told anyone! "Did you know that you look exactly like you mother?" I stared at him, not knowing what to say. He pulled out a small photo of a woman with long blond hair and light blue eyes who was smiling happily and tossing her head to throw her hair over her shoulders. Why was the picture moving?

"Confused are we?" I looked back up at the Dumbledore man who was still smiling at me. "I knew your mother when she was my student at Hogwarts. A very sweet girl with a roguish streak, but everyone loved her. Hogwarts, of course, is a school for young wizards and witches such a yourself." Wizards? Witches? Was this man off his rocker? "You're a witch Melody."

Definitely off his rocker.

Dumbledore paused, waiting for some sort of response. How was I supposed to respond to that though?

"Okay?" I said hesitantly. He beamed at me before reaching into his robes.

"Here is your letter of acceptance." He handed a thick letter to me which I took cautiously.

_Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

_Headmaster Albus Dumbledore (Order of Merlin, first class, Grand Sorc., Chf Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. Of Wizards)_

_Dear Miss M. Gwetheren,_

_We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted into_

_Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment._

_Term begins September 1st. We await your owl by no later than July 31st._

_Yours sincerely,_

_Minerva McGonagall_

_Deputy Headmistress_

I glanced up at Dumbledore. "So, I'm leaving the orphanage?" I asked slowly, heart racing. Was this a way out of being bullied daily? Of being unwanted? This school sounded much different from the other ones I had heard stories about.

"Yes. If you would go pack your personal possessions we can leave straight away."

"I don't have anything to pack." I said tonelessly, trying to grasp the concept of being a witch and actually leaving the orphanage.

"Then off we go!" Dumbledore stood up. I followed suit and slowly handed the magic photo of my mother back to him. "You keep it. It is your mother after all."

He turned to leave and I pinched my arm as hard as I could. I have had weird dreams before but never this weird. Nothing happened. I followed Dumbledore slowly as he strode towards the front desk. Miss Cranmer was wearing her false smile plastered tightly as she greeted the visitors and sent helpers to show them where to go.

"Ah, Professor Dumbledore!" She exclaimed with a high fake laugh. "I take it the interview is finished? Would you like to see any other students? I'll have one of my assistants escort Miss Gwetheren back to her room."

"Yes we have finished indeed." Replied Dumbledore. "There are no other students to consider for the moment and I believe that Miss Gwetheren will be coming with me as she has been accepted to our school."

Miss Cranmer's face was perfect. I just wish I had had a camera to catch it. _Take that! The little rat has found where she belongs! I'm leaving! I'm free! I'm getting out from the orphanage!_

Now I understood what the students who had been selected before had felt. Excitement was bubbling up in my chest and I could barely keep myself restrained. I was a witch! A reality check only increased my happiness. For three years I had been miserable and caged. Now I was free! I didn't look back once at the life I was leaving behind. It had hated me and I had hated it. Now we were parting ways and a new verse was taking place in the song of my life. I smiled sadly to myself. My mom had always talked about how my life was a song being sung and that every stage was a new verse. I had loved to sing, but now I didn't know if I'd ever be able to again.

"Please take hold of my arm." Professor Dumbledore's voice cut through my thoughts. He was extending his left elbow to me. I cautiously gripped it and felt a startling jerk that reminded me of the boot that had brought me to the orphanage years ago. Next thing I knew, we were standing in a crowded street with mobs of people bustling around.

"Welcome to Diagon Alley." Dumbledore beamed down at me. "This is where I leave you." Leave

me? Why would he be leaving me? He couldn't leave me with all these people around. There were to many of them! I would be swallowed up and never seen again!

"See that white building at the end of the street? That's Gringotts Bank. You'll be meeting up with Hagrid and another first year there. Hagrid works at Hogwarts and will be escorting the two of you to buy your school supplies. He may not look too... friendly, but he has a heart of gold."

"I-I-I don't h-h-have any m-m-m-money." I stammered out, panic rising in my chest. _Breathe Melody, breathe. It's going to be alright. No one's going to hurt you. Just because the people here are strangers doesn't mean they're bad like the people who go your mother. Breathe, relax. _I silently told myself, feeling very small and vulnerable.

"Ah, yes. Almost forgot." Dumbledore rummaged through his robes, pulling out a tiny golden key. "This is the key to your vault. Your mother left it with me for safekeeping when you were born."

"Okay." I said in a small voice.

"Also, you should receive the key to the Gwetheren vault which you are to receive as an inheritance, but I do not have the key for it."

"Okay."

"Someday, when you are older, I will take you to visit the one who does have the key. But for now, your school fund should be sufficient."

I nodded mutely, taking the key he offered me.

"Good luck." Then he was gone and I was alone in a strange place I knew nothing about. I didn't know anyone and no one knew me. I took a deep breath and carefully started trying to make my way down the street to the bank Dumbledore had told me about. Of course, the moment I started trying to go one way traffic headed the other. Ah, well... poor little me, all alone and helpless. I had barely conquered my panic and I was not going to give in to it again. Somehow I made it to the bank where I stood and looked at the strange creature guarding it. Was that Hagrid? I jumped over to the side to avoid a group of people leaving the bank and crashed into a skinny boy with glasses, knocking us both to the ground.

"Sorry." I whispered, scrambling to my feet as the boy looked rather dazedly at me. This was a great way to start out a verse in the wizarding world.

"Sorry? Is that all yeh've got ter say?" I looked up, feeling very small indeed as I stared at a huge man who was glowering down at me as he helped the boy to his feet. "Doncha know who this is?"

"Hagrid, it's all right." The boy said hurriedly.

"You're Hagrid?" I asked nervously.

"That I am. Rubeus Hagrid, keeper of the keys at Hogwarts. What's that ter yeh?"

"Uh, well... Dumbledore told me... that I was supposed... to..."

"Oh, yer the one!" Hagrid exclaimed, looking a whole lot less dangerous. "Dumbledore told me I'd be meetin' up with anether new one. What'cha say yer name was?"

"Melody. Melody Gwetheren." I said faintly. Hagrid looked startled.

"Gwetheren? As in Lydia Gwetheren's daughter?" I nodded carefully. Hagrid scrutinized me carefully. "Yeh know, yeh do look quite a bit like her actually." I looked down, unsure of how to respond.

"So, Melody this is Harry," he gestured to the boy who was now safely back on his feet, "an' Harry this is Melody." I nodded hello.

"So, 'ave yeh got yer key?" I nodded. "Then let's be off!"

Hagrid led Harry and I in through the doors. Harry was full of questions like me, but he actually asked them. I just listened to Hagrid's answers. Gringotts was run by goblins, the vaults were protected by enchantments, you'd be mad to try and rob them, yadda, yadda, yadda, yeah...

One of the goblins asked for our keys. I handed mine over, but Hagrid had to root through a ton of pockets in his coat to find Harry's key. Hagrid handed a secret letter to the goblin and another goblin called Griphook came to escort us to our vaults. We all got into a cart somehow, and it sped along with magic. The ride was amazing. Wind rushed past my hair and I could see everything blurring by. I hadn't gone this fast since I jumped out of a tree. Harry also seemed to be enjoying the ride, but Hagrid didn't look to good. We stopped at Harry's vault first. His eyes looked like they would pop out of his head when he saw all the different gold and silver stacks. Hagrid explained about galleons, sickles and knuts to Harry and me and then we were off to my vault.

I had lots of galleons too, and I felt rather dazed by it all. Why hadn't mom told me anything about wizards and galleons and magic?

The last vault we went to had a little package in it that looked rather insignificant. Hagrid seemed to think otherwise and put it in one of his many pockets very carefully.

I was disappointed to have to leave. The carts were amazing to ride in. I can hardly imagine anything being better than rushing through the air with the breeze on your face. We had to return to Diagon Alley though, and Hagrid left us at a robe shop while he went for a drink at some place called the Leaky Cauldron. There was only one other person being fitted when we were there. A pale boy who started chatting away with Harry. The boy introduced himself as Draco Malfoy, but he didn't seem very friendly. He seemed to think he was to good for the world. I guess not all wizards are good.

Hagrid bought Harry and I icecream cones. I hadn't had icecream for years. Harry, the king of questions, began to ask questions. He wanted to know about some sport called 'quidditch' and about Hufflepuff and Slytherin. Turns out that in Hogwarts students are sorted into different groups or 'houses' that they went to classes with and participated in activities with. There were four houses, Hufflepuff, Slytherin, Griffindor and Ravenclaw. I guessed that I'd probably be in Hufflepuff, seeing as it seemed like the cheesiest of the houses.

Hagrid steered us through various stores to collect our school supplies and bought Harry an owl for his birthday which happened to be that day. Of course, my birthday was in the spring so it was a bit late to get me a birthday present too. So many things were being sold. I was feeling rather overwhelmed when I realized that I couldn't see Hagrid or Harry anywhere.

_Great. Just great. Melody gets lost again. Why couldn't being a witch change that?_

My mom always laughed at how easily I got lost when trying to follow her through a crowd. Now I was lost again, and I didn't know where to go. People jostled by, shoving me this way and that as I tried to see where Hagrid had gone. Finally, I decided to just wait inside one of the stores to preserve my toes from being completely flattened.

It was a pet store. I looked around in awe at all the creatures that lined the shelves. Completely forgetting my situation, I began to look around at the various animals. There were cats, rats, dogs and bats, owls, dogs and weird looking frogs which turned out to be toads. Something fluttered down to my shoulder and I looked up to see a brown owl with rusty brown tail-feathers. It regarded me regally before pecking my ear and settling itself down comfortably.

"Looks like she's chosen you dearie." I turned around to see a wizened old witch staring at me with bright eyes.

"Chosen me?" I asked.

"Yes indeed. You should be honoured. It's been five years since she first came to my shop and she hasn't chosen anyone until now dearie." The witch hobbled towards me with a knobbly cane in her hand that she leaned on. "That owl is an extremely rare reformabili animalis, a shape-shifter. When need arises, she can change herself into a phoenix." I stared at her, then at the animal on my shoulder, then back at her.

"But... why would she choose... me?" I gazed at the witch in bewilderment. Her mass of wrinkles creased into a smile.

"Dearie, I can't help but wonder if... you might be... someone like me." Someone like her? "Someone with unusual talent." She switched to a hiss, which I somehow understood her to say "Someone who can understand what others say." She switched to a hoot which I still understood. "Someone who is a _Firamagus_."

"Firamagus?" I echoed. The witch smiled and suddenly turned into a snake. I jumped back in shock and she changed into a rat before becoming and owl and then a human. I stared, wide-eyed. How did she do that?

"Can you do that?"

"I don't think so..."

"Try." I paused, thinking of a mouse and concentrating on it. There was a cackle of delight and I found myself on the floor looking up at a huge woman. I had whiskers! I concentrated on an eagle and I had wings. Then I concentrated on myself and took a shaky breath as I returned to normal, looking at the witch in front of me.

"Well done." She whispered, smiling gently. "Oh, and the owl is yours by the way. There is no paying for the reformabili animalis. It chose you. Be good to it." With that she shooed me out of the shop and I found myself standing on the edge of the street with an owl in a cage, lost and helpless. Where were Hagrid and Harry?

"Melody!" I nearly wilted with relief as Hagrid emerged from the crowd, Harry in tow. "There y'are! Thought we'd lost yeh fer a moment." I just nodded quietly and went to join them. Harry looked at the cage curiously.

"You bought an owl too?" I nodded. Harry's owl looked mine over with beady eyes before deciding that it was safe. Hagrid led the way to a shop that called itself Ollivanders. We went inside and a slightly creepy man came to look Harry and I over. He recognized Harry and told him about the wands his parents had had. Mr and Mrs Potter had both been wizards. Then he looked at me.

"Ah, Melody Gwetheren. You look exactly like your mother. Elm wand, eleven inch with dragon heartstring, nice wand for transfiguration. I wonder..." He trailed off, gazing at me steadily before turning to collect some wands for us to try. He handed me a maple wand, twelve and a half inches with a phoenix feather. I picked it up and a warm tingle spread through my arm. I waved the wand gently and blue and green sparks flew from the end. Mr. Ollivander laughed in delight and turned his attention to finding Harry a wand which took _ages_. Finally, Harry got a wand with holly and a phoenix feather. Turns out that the feather came from a phoenix that gave only one other feather that went to some evil wizard that had tried to kill Harry as a baby, giving him a scar on his forehead I hadn't noticed before.

Hagrid led Harry and I to the Leaky Cauldron which turned out to be an inn and pub. He booked a room for me to stay until school started and arranged for some 'Knight Bus' to take me to the train station. Hagrid handed me a ticket and said goodbye. Harry and I said goodbye and the two of them left. I was taken upstairs to a room where my stuff had already been put, including the owl. I shut the door and crashed onto the bed, tiredness washing over me as I tried to come to terms with what had happened to the day that had started so normally.

**A/N That's all for now folks! Reviews are much appreciated and I love to hear your comments!**


	3. I made it Sort of

Chapter 2

My week at the Leaky Cauldron was weird but awesome. I had never ever had so many new things thrust upon me, from mirrors that yelled at me to the witch at the animal shop who was a 'Firamagus' like me, there were so many things to get used to. Reality started sinking in and the numbness that had gotten me through the first day of discovering that I was special and that my mother had been a witch had turned into nervous excitement. Maylen, the witch who had sold me my owl Tasha, was a fountain of information. I spent a week learning about different types of wizards who were born with special 'powers'. Some could transform their appearance, some could speak to snakes, some could could control fire, and some could turn into animals (like me!) Turns out that animals like Tasha were very particular about which owner they chose. Tasha had seen other special wizards before, but she'd chosen me. That's how Maylen knew what I was. Being a Firamagus had its benefits, but there were also some drawbacks. The longer I stayed in animal form, the harder it was to change back to myself or to another animal. I also had a weird skin thing because of my gift which meant that if I cut myself it would scar much more easily and was harder to heal. I had to be careful of what I did or I might end up bleeding to death because my blood flowed more quickly than a normal witch's or wizard's.

But then again, how do you define normal?

Another thing that was different was how much people seemed to actually like me. At the orphanage and in the Muggle world, I was nobody. Here, I had people repeatedly telling me how much I look like my mother did at my age. It was a bit freaky how everyone knew who I was, but it did get a bit tiring being referred to as 'Lydia's Daughter' all the time. I want to be known as Melody, I want people to realize that I'm not my mother.

During my last night at the Leaky Cauldron, I couldn't sleep. Thoughts and fears were buzzing through my head. What if I didn't fit in at Hogwarts? What if nobody liked me? What if I failed at everything? What if I was expelled? What if, what if, what if... I rolled out of bed, pacing back and forth across the room. Tasha flew in the window, hooting softly. I looked at her.

"Want to fly with me?" I asked softly. If I can't sleep I may as well do something else. Tasha perched on the window sill and I closed my eyes, concentrating on an owl. A breeze rustled past me as I transformed. Opening my eyes, I hooted and took off into the night with Tasha. She led me through the clouds and through tall buildings. I loved the rush of air beneath my wings. When the sky started growing light, we swooped in through the window and landed on my bed. I shut my eyes, willing myself to be me again. I felt a drain of energy rush through me as I transformed, and the change was slower than usual. An icy trickle of fear drew down my spine. I had stayed out longer than usual, and if I had stayed out much longer I might have been stuck.

_Note to self: Train to be able to stay longer if you like being human. And learn to stop panicking over things you can't control. Oh, great. I'm having a conversation with myself in my head again. I really need to stop doing this._

I collected my belongings and went downstairs to wait for the bus. I wasn't feeling hungry at all. What if the bus was late and I missed the train?

The bus crashed in front of the inn and a guy got out and started jabbering away. I kind of stared at him and he goggled back at me.

"'Choo comin' or not?" He said finally.

"Oh, yeah. I'm coming." I rummaged through my pockets and pulled out some sickles for my fare. He led me to a seat on the bus and as I sat down I was thrown to the floor by a sudden jerk. I really didn't like the Knight Bus and neither did Tasha. It kept banging and jerking everywhere and our driver kept on almost running into things.

"Er, Stan?" I asked the conductor hesitantly. "Is there anyway that I could get off at my stop really, really soon?"

Stan goggled at me.

"Off? Why wouldcha wanna get offa here? I'n'it great?"

"Uh, I... uh, kinda need to get off soon or I'll..." I racked my brains for a good excuse. "Well, I can... pay more?" I barely managed to get my hand in my pocket as the bus jolted to somewhere in northern England. Pulling out some galleons I offered them to him.

"Oi! Ern!" Stan disappeared and the bus snapped back to London, screeching to a halt before the King's Cross Train Station. I breathed a silent prayer of thankfulness as I stumbled off the bus. The doors slammed shut and it crashed away. I leaned against a wall to steady myself before going to look for the platform. I had about forty minutes to spare. Tasha and my luggage were loaded onto a trolley and I trundled along, looking for Platform 9 3/4. There was a Platform 9 and a Platform 10, but...

So now I'm stuck in the middle of the Muggle train station with no idea of what to do. I sighed and leaned against one of the dividers. It gave way and I tumbled over with a yelp of shock. The divider had just disappeared and I was lying on the ground at Platform 9 3/4. A shout of laughter greeted me from some students who were loading their things onto the train already. Face burning, I picked myself up and wheeled my trolly over to the train to start getting my things on board. It wasn't my fault I fell. Nobody told me the divider was a magical entryway.

"You all right?" Asked a voice behind me. I turned to see a brown curly-haired boy around my age standing there with his own trolley.

"Yeah. Thanks for asking." I smiled nervously. He smiled back.

"Would you like some help with your trunk?" He offered. I paused, startled. He smirked and loaded it on for me. "First year here?" He asked.

"Yes. Is it yours too?"

"Second. I'm Jared Strydhorst by the way."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Melody Gwetheren."

"Melody. What a pretty name for a pretty girl."

I stared at him in bewilderment. Did he just say what I think he said? What are you supposed to say to something like that? He just winked.

"Hope to see you in Hufflepuff." He turned and strode away. I gaped after him, feeling very disoriented and rattled. Tasha's hoot broke my stupor.

Shaking my head, I got on the train and sat down in an empty compartment.

"Oh, Tasha." I murmured. "What will the school be like? Do you think I'll make any friends? Or will I just be 'Lydia's Daughter?'" Tasha hooted and nibbled my fingers. I smirked and lay back on the seat with a sigh. I must be the only person to have ever fallen through the divider like that. So much for making a good impression. I'll just be known as the person who fell onto their bottom in front of the train. Other students were filing up and down the train now. I rummaged through my trunk and took out a book on Transfiguration to read.

A while later, someone came to the door of my compartment and looked in. It was Harry, the boy I had met in Diagon Alley.

"Hi, Melody. Can I sit here? Everywhere else is full."

"Sure! There's only me and Tasha here." I gestured to the space around us and he sat down beside me.

"So you named her Tasha?" I nodded.

"What's yours called?"

"Hedwig."

"That's a nice name."

"I like it too. So, why didn't you tell Hagrid you were going to buy an owl? We thought you'd gotten lost."

"I did get lost." I admitted sheepishly. "I decided to wait inside a store and then Tasha came swooping down on my shoulder and the witch in the shop told me she had chosen me for her owner. So I got her."

"Oh."

"Yeah..." I looked down at my lap, feeling hot.

"So, how did you discover you were a witch?" Harry asked curiously. "I mean, did you grow up in a magical family?"

"Sort of. My mom raised me until I was eight, but I never knew she was a witch. She died protecting me from some of the nastier wizards." I paused to take a deep breath. It still hurt to think about her.

"I'm so sorry." He patted my hand in a slightly awkward way. I smiled sadly. Harry was nice.

"I lived at a Muggle orphanage after that until one of the teachers from Hogwarts came and told me about magic and all that. What about you?"

"My parents died when I was young, and I lived with my aunt and uncle and cousin after that. They're muggles and they really don't like magic."

"How can anyone not like magic? It's amazing!"

"I know! I don't get it either. They're just really... well, muggley I guess."

I laughed.

"Muggley! That's an awesome word." Harry laughed too and we lapsed into silence. A few minutes later another boy was at the door. A red headed one with freckles.

"D'you mind if I join you? Everywhere else is taken." Harry and I motioned to the seat across from us. He moved to sit down when two more redheads came to the door, introducing themselves as Fred and George Weasley. The boy who had just joined us was their little brother Ron. Ron looked at Harry in a slightly frightened but curious way when they left.

"Are you really... I mean, you have the... scar and..." Harry moved the hair in his face out of the way to expose his lightning scar clearly.

"Wicked." Ron whispered. He seemed nice too. I wanted to meet some witches though. I couldn't be the only one at Hogwarts. An older witch came by after a while with some snacks to buy. I was too nervous to eat and Ron's mom had sent him food, but Harry jumped up to get something. He came back with what must have been at least one kind of everything on the trolley. He insisted that Ron and I share with him so I took a chocolate frog. It actually hopped around. I picked it up by the legs and dangled it in the air, staring at it warily.

"Are they real?" Harry asked. Ron got on a roll about the different spells and I cautiously nibbled it. It certainly tasted like real chocolate. I looked at the card that came with the Frog and found that I had gotten Merlin. He smiled and waved at me, just like my mother's photo had done. Harry was amazed by the moving photos. He got Dumbledore. Soon we were rummaging through, trying to get as many different cards as we could. Another boy came to the door almost in tears looking for his toad, but we hadn't seen any non-chocolate frogs.

"I'll help you look." I offered, getting up. He nodded shakily. "My name's Melody." I said as we moved down the train.

"I'm Neville. Neville Longbottom." I knocked on the door of a compartment with some other girls in it Finally I had found some fellow females.

"Have any of you seen a toad?" I questioned. "Neville's lost his."

"There's a loose toad on the train?" Gasped one girl.

"Ewww!" Squealed her companion. Great. More girly-girls. Why couldn't witches be sensible? I didn't want to spend my years at school with wimps.

"No we haven't. Stop complaining you two." Said the third one. She got up haughtily. "I'll help you look for him. What's his name?"

"Trevor." Gulped Neville.

"Then let's go." She breezed out of the compartment and shut the door behind her.

"I'm Hermione Granger by the way."

"I'm Melody Gwetheren. This is Neville Longbottom."

"Alright then. Neville, why don't you come with me and Melody, you can look down at that end of the train."

"Sure." I smiled. Hermione sure wasn't a whiny girly-girl. I liked her. I continued down the train, looking in different compartments for the missing toad. I saw Jared again, and he introduced me to some of his Hufflepuff friends. They offered to help look. We combed the rest of that end of the train with no sign of Trevor until Tasha came swooping over to me with a toad in her talons.

"Tasha!" I gasped. The toad wasn't hurt, but it tried to squirm out of my grasp. "Good girl." I praised her, heading back up the train to find Neville. I didn't see him until we got off the train. Hagrid was calling all the first years to come with him and Neville was there with Hermione, looking miserable.

"Neville!" I called, making my way over. "Is this your toad?"

"Trevor!" He exclaimed happily, carefully taking the toad from me. We went down to the edge of a lake where a fleet of boats awaited us. Harry got into a boat with Hermione, Ron and Neville; I ended up in a boat with the blond boy Harry had met in Diagon Alley, Draco Malfoy, and two of his friends, Crabbe and Goyle.

We crossed over the lake and everyone fell silent as Hogwarts loomed into view. The castle was a magnificent sight, and I felt more nervous every second as we drew nearer. We made our way up the castle steps and Hagrid delivered us to a severe looking woman we were told was Professor McGonagall. She took us into the Great Hall where we would be sorted.

The Great Hall was awesome. The ceiling was magicked to look like the weather outdoors and a ton of candles were burning overhead. All the other students were staring at us and the teachers were watching us closely. A ragged hat was sitting on a stool, and when we were lined up in front of it it started singing about itself. The older students applauded and Professor McGonagall started calling out the names of new students. I could hardly breathe. We were being sorted in front of everyone? What if the hat decided I didn't belong anywhere? What if I was sent away from the school? What if there was some mistake and I wasn't magical after all? I couldn't move.

"Gwetheren, Melody." The air was clogging in the room. I don't know how I made it to the stool. I sat down and the hat descended, shutting out the room.

_Well, well, well... Very interesting indeed. _

_Are you talking to me?_

_Of course I am._

_But you're a hat. How can you talk?_

_The same way I sang the song?_

_Oh._

_So now, where to put you..._

_Somewhere I won't die of shame in?_

_Die of shame? You have considerable talents my dear Firamagus._

_You know?_

_I do._

_How do you know?_

_I'm reading your mind if you hadn't noticed._

_Oh._

_And no, you can't turn into an ant now and crawl away._

_I wasn't going to._

_Of course not._

_Can we just get on with this? Everyone's staring at me._

_Of course we can. Let's see... Talent yes, not as much ambition as there could be, but a want to prove yourself. Yes, and a want to have friends who like you for who you are... Bravery and courage as well I see... Yes, and a loyal spirit as well... _

_Are you sorting me or flattering me?_

"GRIFFINDOR!" It yelled, finally. A table started cheering and I went to go sit down with them. Hermione and one of the squeamish girls I had met were sitting there already and made room for me to sit with them. I regretted sitting by the one girl when she let out an ear-piercing squeal of joy when her friend Parvati Patil became a Griffindor as well. When Harry's name was called, many of the students started muttering amongst themselves.

"GRIFFINDOR!" The table I was at burst into deafening cheers louder than any other table had made yet as Harry made his way over, looking as relieved and nervous as I felt. He sat down next to me, face burning as the sorting continued.

"Congrats." I whispered.

"Yeah, congrats to you too." He murmured back. We watched the rest of the sorting, cheering when other Griffindors joined the table.

Harry was especially happy when Ron Weasley joined our table. Another brother of his congratulated him rather pompously. Ron sure had a big family.

When the last first year had been called, the headmaster stood up. Dumbledore beamed down at us and gave the word for the feast to begin. The plates were empty, but as soon as he clapped his hands food appeared on them. I was finally feeling hungry and reached for some chicken, but jumped back with a shriek as a head popped out of the platter. It was a ghost. I had messed up again. The older students were laughing as the ghost pulled himself out of the chicken and started drifting down the table. When would I stop making a fool of myself?

When the feast was finished, Ron's brother Percy led us to the Griffindor common room, which was hidden behind a painting of a rather... large woman. We had to tell her the password and she would let us through. Hermione and I went up the staircase that led to the girl's dorms and found our possessions on the beds already.

I sat down on the side, rifling through my luggage until I found the picture of my mother.

_I did it. I'm a witch._


	4. First impressions

**Thanks to those who have added this to their favourites and alerts! Reviews are always welcomed and appreciated as well.**

**Oh, and before I conveniently forget, I don't own Harry Potter or any of the characters J. K. Rowling came up with... :(**

Weak sunlight filtered in through the partially drawn curtains as I blinked awake. It took a moment to remember where I was. Rolling out of bed, I swiftly moved over to the window and looked out. The sunrise was painting the landscape in shades of gold and pink in the east and glittering over the lake. The forbidden forest looked tranquil and inviting. Glancing around carefully at my fellow roommates whose soft breathing still filled the room, I opened the window and climbed onto the sill before jumping off and twisting into an owl.

The early morning breeze was soft under my wings as I glided towards the forest, coming to perch on a tree just outside. The oak's leaves gently swayed as I sat there watching the sun complete its daily ritual. I turned back into myself and settled down comfortably, watching some birds pecking at grubs in a garden by a wooden hut. I guess it must be Hagrid's, seeing as there's a crossbow in front of the door that would be too big for anyone else to use. A dog barked and the door opened to reveal Hagrid and a large black dog. He strode off towards the castle and I slid from the tree, following at a distance. He walked in through the doors, ordering the dog to stay behind. I cautiously slid down the hall after him, hoping that he was headed towards the great hall and breakfast. Thankfully, he was. I slipped over to the Gryffindor table and quietly sat down, pulling a platter of fruit over. Professor McGonagall walked down the table handing out timetables as I picked out an apple and begin the apple eating ritual: flick it on my wrist so that it starts moving... swirl my arm in the air so it rolls around and travels down to my shoulder... bop it onto the other shoulder... twist other arm so it swirls to my wrist... flick my wrist to flip the apple in the air... catch it neatly in my mouth and take a bite. Apples are truly the best fruit you could get.

"Excuse me."

The table whacked my knee painfully as I jumped.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." An older student was standing behind me. He was looking at me curiously.

"It-it's alright." I mumbled nervously.

"I was just wondering... How did you learn that apple thing?"

"Apple thing?"

"Y'know," he picked up an apple and swiftly completed _my _apple routine!

"How did you learn that? My mom said that she was the one who came up with it!" How did he do that so easily? It had taken me three years to learn how to do it properly.

"I learned it from Crabapple." He gestured towards a girl ditting at the... Ravenclaw table? Or was it Hufflepuff?

"Crabapple?"

"Yeah. That's her nickname 'cause she can do the apple trick and she's really crabby during exam time."

"Oh."

It is just so tempting to do the 'awkward silence turtle' right about now.

"I could take you to meet her if you like."

"O...kay?" I slide off the bench, pausing to pick up my timetable before following the boy over to where 'crabapple' is laughing with some of her friends.

"Hey, Apple Juice!" She greets my guide in a friendly way. What kind of a nickname is 'Apple Juice'?

"Hay's for horses Crabapple." He says playfully. "Guess who I've got here?"

"Someone you've decided to teach the apple trick?"

"No need. She says her mom taught her how to do it." Why haven't I learned how to turn invisible yet? Do they really have to stare at me like that?

"Your mom taught you the apple trick?" Disbelief is clear from her voice and stunned look.

"Uh, yeah..."

"Then catch!" Before I can ask what to catch, she's gently tossed an apple to me. I catch it neatly, carrying through the apple routine before looking at her again.

"So who's your mom?"

"She was Lydia Gwetheren. She died several years ago."

"_WHAT?_" Both of the apple people are staring at me in awe.

"You mean it?" Asks Apple Juice.

"Your mom was actually _the_ Lydia Gwetheren? She's the one who trained AJ who trained me and I trained Ced!"

"Said?"

"Oh, yeah. Never introduced myself properly did I?" He grins, holding out his hand. "I'm Cedric Diggory of Hufflepuff. This is Alice Wright of Ravenclaw, current headgirl and graduating this year."

"But your mom was actually Lydia Gwetheren?" Crabap-_Alice_ interrupts.

"Yeah."

"She's the one who did the apple trick in the first place. She's famous among the older students here for it. You see a bunch of them trying to copy us, but we guard the secret jealously." She smiles.

"Oh."

"So now we need a nickname for you." Cedric decides.

"For me?"

"Of course! Everyone who learns the trick is named for something to do with apples."

"Oh." Alice looks excited.

"So... what shall it be?"

"Apples Junior?" Suggests Cedric.

"That's what AJ stood for."

"But it was AJ, not Apples Junior."

This is not awkward at all, having to stand here while these two have their debate over what to call me. I'd be better off trying to find where the Charms classroom is.

"Apple tree?"

"Who in the name of Merlin would want to be Apple Tree?"

"I dunno."

"Apple Blossom?"

"Too long."

"Blossom?"

"Blossom?"

"Short for Apple Blossom!"

"Why not?"

They're staring at me again...

"How does Blossom sound?"

"Fine..."

"Then you're Blossom!" Crabapple declares.

"Okay."

"What's you're first class?" Cedric asks.

"Charms."

"Want some help finding it?" Do I ever!

"Yes, please. If it's not too much trouble."

"Not at all!" Alice bounces up happily and links her arm with my arm. Cedric links himself to my other arm and I'm dragged down a bunch of staircases and corridors that are bent on confounding me. Boy, is this term going to be fun... How on earth are we supposed to memorize our way to classes?

The two of them seem to be enjoying themselves thoroughly as they dump me in front of a door and walk off calling cheerful goodbyes. Opening the nearest door, I find that only a few of the students are there already sitting at their desks. Professor Flitwick, the charms professor, was very small and had a squeaky voice which I discovered when I stepped inside.

"Ah... you must be Lydia's daughter!" He squeaked happily. I nodded uncertainly and took a seat near the back of the classroom, feeling all eyes on me. Was I going to be only known as 'Lydia's daughter' this year or something? It's a bit creepy having everyone know you for your parents.

I guess it's not as bad as what Harry has to go through.

Professor Flitwick actually fell off his seat with a squeak of excitement when he got to Harry's name on the roll call. Several of the students seemed more interested in Harry than the lesson, so I guess I have it better than most. I do wish we actually did spellwork in our first class, but it was all theory. We have to get through it before we can make objects fly around.

I have also decided that I hate having to find my way around the castle without knowing where I'm supposed to be. I ended up being left behind after Charms and consequentially am in danger of being late for History of Magic. I wander through the halls, hoping that some older student will take pity on me.

"Hey there!"

The answer to my hopes?

"You look lost!"

Could it be?

I turn to see a small group of older students lounging in the corridor.

"Could you tell me where the History classroom is please?" Fingers crossed, I face them.

"Down that staircase over there and in the corridor on the left, third door." A girl informs me with a smug smile.

"Thank you." I'm just about to head down the staircase when my legs snap together and won't come unstuck. A roar of laughter from that group says that some one just jinxed me. They head down the hall and I'm left standing at the top of the stairs unable to walk. I'm going to be late for class on the first day. Could I hop down the stairs carefully?

It would seem so as I slide along, trying to keep my balance when...

_thunk!_

First a step is there, and then it's not.

Just perfect.

I'm stuck in the stairs up to my chest and I can't get out. What if nobody comes down this way? What if I'm stuck here forever? What if no one can find me?

"AHAH!"

A tapestry is torn aside and a creepy man is staring down at me with a sadistic grin. He looks like he wants to eat me!

"Trying to skip out on class are we?" He snarls madly. _Oh, help me somebody._

"No! I'm-"

"You think I'll just let you get away with this?" _SOMEBODY HELP ME!_

"I've got chains in my office, all greased and ready for you to dangle by your thumbs!"

_HELP! PLEASE! ANYBODY! _

"You're just another troublemaker who deserves to be whipped! And don't think that crying and snivelling will get you anywhere!"

_HELP! PLEASE! I'M HAVING A PANIC ATTACK! SOMEBODY SAVE ME! PLEASE!_

"Filch! What's going on here?"

"Student trying to skive off of class Professor Vector."

_PLEASE NOT A TEACHER WHO CAN LET HIM DO THOSE THINGS TO ME! PLEASE!_

"Very well then, I will take it from here. Go back to your duties Filch."

"But-"

"I believe I am perfectly capable of dealing with her myself."

Someone's lifting me out of the step. I don't want to be tortured!

"It's alright, Filch can't actually do those things to you." A calming voice sounds in my ear and my legs spring apart. Only then do I realize how much I'm shaking.

"Maybe the hospital wing for a calming draught?" The voice continues. Hurrah for first times? It's only when I'm in bed in the hospital wing with Madame Pomfrey fussing over me that I realize I could have changed into an animal of some sort to get out of the step. I sure have a long way to go before I become a capable witch.

**A/N How was it? Did you like her little freak out over Filch? Please leave a review or at least a comment to let me know you've read it. I have a hard time with continuing my stories consistently when nobody tells me they're reading it. (The notifications of reviews help me remember)**

**And also, would anyone like to beta this for me? That would make my day and Melody's too!**


	5. Double Trouble

**Chapter 3**

I finally resigned myself to the fact that the only time I'll be able to find my way around the castle is when I'm with someone who already knows the way. There were so many staircases and passageways and they weren't even there all the time!

But once I was actually in the classes, I really enjoyed myself. The teachers were full of information, and I was kept super busy trying to keep up, even though I hadn't even completed one whole week yet. I wasn't the only one feeling slightly overwhelmed though. Hermione Granger was pretty well the only student who could keep up with her classes, but she even studied ahead. How did she manage?

Harry and Ron and I were becoming pretty good friends. If we needed partners in our classes to work on an assignment I usually worked with one of them or Hermione. She was really nice once you got to know her. So here I am, Melody Gwetheren, Firamagus and directionally challenged first year who had to wander off by herself away from Harry, Ron and Hermione and get hopelessly muddled with all these confounded staircases! Argh!

"Miss Gwetheren?"

_BANG!_

"Protego!"

Silence falls as I stare at our Potions Master whose name I can't remember and who, for some reason, snuck up behind me, scaring me so that I tried to jinx him.

"I-I-I'm s-sorry-"

"I know."

He's almost looking... amused?

"Your mother also used to jinx people when they startled her like that."

"oh."

"May I ask what you are doing here? I didn't know that first years were allowed in the Astronomy Tower."

Oh, shoot.

"Five points from Griffindor for being out of bounds and-"

"There you are!" A cheery voice interrupts him as two identical redheads come into view. The teacher doesn't look very happy and starts to speak, but they just whisk by, sandwiching me in between them as they head away from him.

"Run, before he stops us!" Whispers one. They go hurtling down the corridor, through some passageways and out into a hallway with a bunch of pictures of fruit.

"Nice to meet you whoever you are! Fred Weasley-"

"And George, the handsome one of the set-"

"At your service!" They finish together.

"Hi. Um, exactly why did you just drag me away like that? He's not going to be very happy with me and I have my first class with him this morning."

"Oh, I pity you."

"You see, that teacher-"

"Is the head of Slytherin-"

"And favours his own house-"

"While being awful to the other houses-"

"Especially Griffindors-"

"So if you're on his bad side already-"

"Before your first class-"

"We must say-"

"Congratulations!" They finish together. It's kinda freaky, I mean, how many people finish each others sentences like that?

"Why 'congratulations'?"

"Because we didn't even get on his bad side-"

"Until our first class!"

"What were you doing up at the tower anyways?"

"I was trying to get to the Great Hall."

Now would be a good time to insert some chirping crickets to stop them from staring at me.

"Alright then," said George- or was it Fred?

"If you really have that much trouble finding your way around-"

"Then we really must help you out-"

"But of course we can't give you our best tool-"

"Seeing as our need for it is greater than yours-"

"But we can give you another one-"

"Which we got from our brother-"

"But we never ended up using it-"

"Seeing as we'd look pretty pathetic using it-"

"But we can give it to you-"

"Seeing as you're a girl-"

"And no one would look twice-"

"At a girl carrying this!" Upon which I'm presented with a hot pink book with nothing written in it.

Boy do I wish someone in this castle had crickets.

"Aww, look Freddie."

"The poor little firstie has no idea what she's holding, does she Georgie."

"It's quite simple actually."

"All you have to do-"

"Is write in the book where you want to go-"

"And a map will appear-"

"To guide you there!"

"So give it a go!"

_Great Hall,_ I scribble quickly, feeling like a doofus under their stares. The words start shifting and sure enough, it shows a route to get to the Great Hall!

"Wow..."

"But breakfast will be done soon-"

"So there's really no point going there-"

"When you can get directly into the kitchens-"

"Here!"

Fred- or George?- starts tickling a pear in a painting of fruit. The pear starts squirming and giggling and turns into a door handle? The other one turns it and sticks his head in, yelling for some toast and fruit. The two of them seem to be enjoying my stunned expression way too much.

"Here you are!"

"Enjoy and head off to class!" After which I'm deserted, holding an apple, a piece of toast, and a hot pink book that I hoped would truly work...

**A/N. Enter the Weasley twins! Please guys, review? I really appreciate them and I would love suggestions for improvement.**


	6. Lightning

**Chapter 5**

The map worked.

It actually worked!

Thank Merlin for the twins. They're my new idols. I owe them big time for this.

All I had to say was 'potions classroom' and it showed me not only how to get there but and entire shortcut! I actually made my way to the potions classroom without following anyone technically, because the map wasn't a person. It led me down a staircase and through several dark passageways before opening into the dungeon hall. Several other Gryffindors were there already, looking apprehensive about their first potions lesson. I quickly stood in line with Hermione.

"D'you think it's true he favours the Slytherins?" She hissed.

"How should I know? I haven't had a lesson with him yet."

"I know, but everyone says he does."

"Well then I guess we'll find out for ourselves won't we?"

The door swung open and silence fell. Everyone filed into the dark room silently. It was only after I got into the dungeon that I remembered about the 'incident' with our potions master...

Harry sat with Ron at a desk near the middle and there was and empty space beside him, but there was also an empty seat at the very back of the room which I could sit at to get even further away from the Professor. The only problem was that it was right beside a Slytherin boy.

Do I want to ditch my friends or stay as far away from Professor What's-His-Face as possible?

The Slytherin boy was definitely the lesser of two evils.

"Do you mind if I take this seat?" I whispered. He shrugged a shoulder carelessly so I set my cauldron down beside his.

"I'm Blaise Zabini." He introduced himself.

"Melody Gwetheren." We were shaking hands when it happened.

~*~ _BLAISE P.O.V._

Blaise was looking forward to his potions lesson. He had been told how Professor Snape would pick on the Griffindorks and he was looking forward to seeing them taken down a few notches. Draco sat near the front of the classroom, but Blaise preferred to stay in the shadows.

In the shadows.

What irony.

"Do you mind if I take this seat?" Blaise looked up to see a Griffindork girl standing in front of him. He shrugged. If she wanted to sit there he wasn't going to stop her.

"I'm Blaise Zabini." He introduced himself. No point going by Slytherin kid.

"Melody Gwetheren." She gave a small smile as they started to shake hands. Blaise clenched instinctively as a sudden jolt of energy blazed through his arm as though it had been struck by lightning. The girl seemed to have felt it too. Her eyes widened in shock as her arm was jolted. She quickly let go and retreated behind her cauldron. Blaise returned his attention to the professor, but was only half listening as he tried to contemplate what had just happened.

_Could she be like me?_

He rummaged in his bag for a piece of parchment and quickly jotted down a request to meet him at the seventh floor that evening. Blaise wanted to know what the jolt meant and he was going to find out. He passed the note over to her discreetly and he could have sworn she nodded back, but it was so quick and subtle he almost missed it. Blaise was positive there was something special about her.

It was the evening at last. Blaise had had an awful time concentrating on his work. The image of the girl with the long blond hair and blue eyes- Melody was it?- had been constantly intruding on his thoughts. He had never met anyone with a power like him, but had been told that his magic would recognize another one like him.

"Zabini?" She was here, looking at him warily. Blaise swiftly controlled his features.

"In here." He jerked his head towards the room he had asked for. She followed him into the room which had changed to look like a library, with tons of books on rare types of witches and wizards, looking like she was ready to bolt at any moment. He faced her, mouth suddenly dry. How did you ask someone something like this?

"At the beginning of potions class," he began carefully, "when we shook hands, did you feel-"

"Like a bolt of lightning had struck my arm?" She interrupted with narrow eyes.

"Yes."

"I did. I don't know what spell you used to make that happen but-"

"I didn't use any spell." She raised an eyebrow.

"Then what happened?" She folded her arms and settled back into a stance of haughty control. The look of superiority came to her naturally. It usually took most purebloods at least a few months to perfect, yet here was a mud-_muggle_ born who got it right off the bat.

"I believe my magic recognized yours." Her face turned from cool to perplexed. Merlin's beard, he was butchering this interview. Blaise mentally thanked his mother for all those hours of teaching him to keep a steady face.

"Recognized?"

"Yes." This was going to take some real explaining. He decided to just be straightforward and open. With a Griffindor.

"I think you have a rare gift like me." Shock, utter shock.

"You mean you're a Firamagus too?"

Now it was his turn to feel disbelief. _She was a Firamagus?_

No way. There had been only two Firamagi since Salazar Slytherin's daughter, Merope.

How could a _Griffindor_ be one?

She seemed to realize he wasn't and looked like she was about to try and find a way to keep his mouth shut.

"No, I'm not a Firamagus. But the gift I have is just as rare."

"What gift is this then?"

**Aaaaaand CUT!**

**Any theories as to Blaise's 'gift'?**

**I would love some feedback and would greatly appreciate any advice you have for me as well as pointing out any mistakes I may have made.**

**And I still haven't figured out how to make Polyjuice potion in the muggle world so I'm still not J.K. Rowling. I don't own any of her lovely characters...**


	7. Shadows Flying

"I'm a Shadow Walker."

We kind of just stared at each other. I was supposed to somehow understand what that meant?

"You have no idea of what I'm talking about, do you?" Zabini looked smug.

"So?"

"So, you should be asking me to politely explain exactly what I'm talking about."

"I could always look it up in the library."

"Aren't you a Gryffindor and not a Ravenclaw?"

"Brilliant deduction Mister Holmes." Zabini looked completely lost.

"Homes?"

"_Holmes._ He's a muggle investigator type of person." Zabini nodded slowly. You've gotta love the deer in the headlights look.

"It's not funny." He complained, flopping down onto a couch that appeared behind him. Would a couch appear for me if I tried that too? It was Zabini's turn to laugh as I found myself on the floor.

"Not like that Gwetheren. You have to _ask _the room for a couch if you want to sit on one."

He was laughing so hard he fell off his couch when mine landed right on top of me. He only stopped when I 'asked' for the room to dump a bucket of water on him.

"What was that for?" He spluttered.

"Laughing at me you-" I launched into all the colourful language I knew of French, courtesy of a boy at the orphanage who used those words quite often.

"Translation please?"

"Nope."

"I explain what a 'shadow walker' is and you explain what a 'coshone' is at least?"

"Whatever."

The two of us pulled ourselves together and sat on top of the couches, facing each other. Zabini 'asked' for a towel and dried himself off.

"So... Basically, a shadow walker is someone who can walk through shadows and manipulate them."

"So if you lost your temper with me you could get a shadow to strangle me?"

"Not exactly. By manipulating, I mean that I can... well... it would be a whole lot easier if I could just show you."

"Go ahead."

Zabini stood up. A look of concentration appeared on his face and his body started to fade, until all that I could see of him what a grey shadow that hardly looked human at all.

"Neat, isn't it?" Came the disembodied whisper from behind me. I whipped around to see the shadow of the couch shifting as though something was shaking it.

"Woah..." The shadow was changing forms so that the couch's shadow looked like a tower, then a tree and then a human, who gradual gained the features of Blaise Zabini. He shifted back into his regular form, but didn't get off the ground.

"I'd forgotten how much energy that takes." He groaned.

"That was awesome!"

"I know."

"That was seriously brilliant!"

"Yep."

"I've never seen anything like it!"

"I believe you." He finally sat up, massaging his temples as he pulled himself to his feet.

"That would be great in a duel. You could just shift to allow the spell to pass straight through you!"

"Yeah. It'd take a lot of work to get to that level though."

"It doesn't really take that much energy for Firamagus transformations. I'd get stuck in animal form if I stayed that way for too long."

"Guess it varies with each 'talent'." Zabini flopped down on the couch with a sigh. "It would be neat to talk to other half breeds to see what their talent is like."

"Half breeds?"

"That's what the ministry classifies us as. We're dangerous half breeds who have to be regulated and controlled or we're going to take over the world."

"So, basically they're scared we're better than them so they're not going to let us be like other people?"

"Yep."

"That would explain why Maylen told me to keep it a secret."

"Maylen?"

"Another Firamagus."

"Then you're probably related."

"I wouldn't know how to find out."

You could look it up in a genealogy book that shows Slytherin's line."

"Why Slytherin's?"

"Slytherin's daughter was the first recorded Firamagus. Which is why I was surprised to find a Firamagus in Gryffindor."

"I thought Slytherin was the dark house."

"Stereotypically, yes we are. Actually, we're the house no outsider understands so everyone labels us as 'dark' to give them an excuse to hate us. Oh, and the fact that You-Know-Who came from Slytherin doesn't help."

"So if Voldemort had been a Gryffindor everyone would hate Gryffindors?"

"Most likely." Silence fell as the two of us retreated to our own thoughts.

"Would people dislike Gryffindors if they knew I was a Firamagus?"

"Probably. Which is why you shouldn't tell anyone."

"I wasn't planning to."

"Good."

"But with the whole... manipulating thingy... You can only change the shapes of the shadows but you can't make them solidish to do things with?"

"I am nowhere near that stage."

"There are different stages?"

"Yeah."

"So what does each stage do?"

"Well, currently I'm practising manipulating the shadows and transforming myself into shadow. When I master that, I can start making inanimate objects turn to shadows and back. Useful for transferring things. That will take a very long time and then I can start practising with living things."

"It would be weird for the people you practice on."

"Only thing I'll actually ever be able to do with humans is soul diving."

"What's that?"

"I dunno."

"Then whydya mention it?"

"Because I read about it."

"Oh."

Zabini closed his eyes wearily.

"D'you think there are many other people with talents like us?"

Half shrug.

"Would there be that electric jolt thingymabobber if I touched one of them?"

Shrug.

"Zabini..."

One eye half open.

"Talk to me."

Both eyes shut.

"I dislike being ignored."

No response.

"Fine. I'm leaving then."

I got up and was about to walk over to the door when I paused. If the room gave us what we 'asked' for, could it possibly...

_I need a passageway to the Gryffindor 1__st__ year girl's dorms..._

A door appeared in the wall with the Gryffindor lion on it.

"Gwetheren?"

"Zabini?"

"No telling people about the room. It is a secret."

"Yep."

I opened the door to leave.

"Wait!"

Zabini sat up.

"You were going to tell me what a 'coshone' was."

"I was?"

"Yes, you were. You called me it, you can at least translate it."

I smirked at him.

"Pig."

I turned and sprinted down the passageway before Zabini could respond.

I didn't get to talk to Zabini again until the following week. A poster had gone up proclaiming that Gryffindors would be learning to fly with the Slytherins. No one was particularly happy about our flying buddies. Harry, Ron and I were all looking forward to learning to fly, but Hermione wasn't.

"I'm going to crash. I know it." She kept whispering.

"Maybe there's a book or two with some flying tips in it." I suggested.

"Good idea."

"When in doubt, off to the library." The two of us set off from the common room and went to the library, me following Hermione. The stupid stairs were still conspiring against me and I was glad to be with someone who knew the way. The Hermione had memorized the pathway to the library before anything else.

"Alright, where should we start looking?" I lowered my voice.

"The flying section perhaps?"

I smacked my head.

"How on earth do you put up with a brainless directionally challenged little firstie like me Hermione?"

She couldn't hold back a giggle as we headed over to the small section of the library with books to help us not break our necks tripping over our broomsticks.

"Here's one." She held out _Quidditch Through the Ages_.

"Great!" We spent the rest of the afternoon perusing it, and in the morning I was feeling slightly more confident. Hermione was still in full spin about the different tips from the book. The only person who looked like they were paying complete attention was Neville Longbottom. He was very accident prone, so it was probably a good thing for him to get some tips.

"Mail's here!" Parvati Patil informed us, cutting across Hermione. A large owl dropped a package in front of Neville, who opened it to find-

"It's a Remembrall! Gran knows I forget things- this tells you if there's something you've forgotten to do. Look, you hold it tight like this and if it turns red- oh..." The Remembrall glowed Scarlet. "You've forgotten something..." I turned back to my toast. He'd probably forgotten a bunch of somethings.

"What's going on here?" Malfoy had snatched the Remembrall from Neville and Professor McGonagall had arrived just in time to stop Harry and Ron from attacking.

"Malfoy's got my Remembrall professor." Malfoy shot a dark look and Neville and scowled.

"Just looking." He dropped it on the table and sloped away with the gorillas in tow.

"Little git." Muttered Harry, returning to his breakfast.

"He's probably just jealous." I shrugged.

"And then, you should probably..." Hermione was back in full spin. Harry and I exchanged a glance. Ron rolled his eyes.

"Who wants to bet she's the first to fall?" He whispered. I whacked him in the back of the head.

"What was that for?" Ron's face emerged from the porridge I had smashed it into.

_Don't laugh, don't laugh, don't laugh..._

"You should be nicer to Hermione. She's quite nice actually."

"You're only saying that because the two of you are top of the class."

"She's top of the class, not me."

"You're pretty near, though."

"Are you kidding me?"

"Nope. You should look at your marks more carefully."

"There's more to class than marks."

"Whatever." He picked up a napkin and wiped off the porridge as well as he could. "At least you're not a snobby know-it-all like she is."

I refused to speak to him for the rest of the day.

We went down the grounds for our first flying lesson at 3:30. The Slytherins were already there with the broomsticks lying on the ground. I would have felt more confident if the brooms looked like they could actually support our wait.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Our teacher, Madam Hooch, had arrived. "Everyone stand by a broomstick. Come on, hurry up!"

None of the Gryffindors wanted to stand by a Slytherin, so I found myself by Zabini.

"Scared?" He whispered.

"Not as much as you should be."

"I'm quite sure I can manage a broom, thank you very much."

"But if I fall it's you I'm going to land on." Zabini edged away slightly.

"Stick out your right hand over your broom and say 'UP'!" Ordered Madam Hooch.

The air was filled with a chorus of 'up's. It took me two tries to get my broom to rise. Zabini got his first try.

"Now, when I blow my whistle you kick off from the ground hard. Keep your brooms steady, rise a few feet and come back down by leaning forward slightly. On my whistle- one- two- COME BACK BOY!"

Neville had shot off the ground at two, and was rising high into the air.

WHAM

Madam Hooch hurried forward and bent over him while the broom drifted carelessly away.

"Broken wrist." She muttered. "Come on, boy up you get." She turned to face the rest of us. "None of you is to touch those brooms while I take this boy to the hospital wing or you'll be out of Hogwarts before you can say 'Quidditch.'" Neville was bustled away, clutching his wrist.

"Did you see the look on the great lump's face?" Malfoy and the rest of the Slytherins burst out laughing.

"Shut up Malfoy." Snapped Parvati.

"Ooh, sticking up for Longbottom are you Patil? Never thought you'd like crybabies like him." Mocked Pansy Parkinson.

"Look, it's that stupid thing his grandmother sent him." Malfoy darted forward and picked up the Remembrall which had fallen out of Neville' pocket.

"Give it here Malfoy." Harry ordered. Silence fell as the rest of the class watched the confrontation.

"I think I'll put it somewhere for Longbottom to find." Malfoy sneered. "What about in a tree?" With that, he mounted his broom and kicked off, heading towards the forest.

"Give it here!" Harry yelled before grabbing his own broom.

"Harry, don't, you'll get us all in trouble!" Hermione fretted. He ignored her and soared into the air after Malfoy. First flying lesson incomplete? Harry didn't need any. He was a natural. He shot at Malfoy, nearly knocking him off his broom. Most of the girls were shrieking and gasping, but Ron and I were cheering. Malfoy threw the Remembrall away and headed back to the ground. Harry followed the Remembrall, gathering speed, going into a steep fifty foot dive. The whole class was frozen as they watched him speed towards the Remembrall, before snatching it out of the air and coming to rest a foot from the ground.

"HARRY POTTER!" Professor McGonagall came charging out of the castle and my insides turned to ice. They couldn't expel him, they just couldn't!

"How dare you- you might have broken your neck!"

"It wasn't his fault professor."

"Be quiet Mr. Weasley."

"But Malfoy-"

"That's enough Miss Gwetheren. Potter, come with me." Harry had no choice. He followed McGonagall away from the rest of us, leaving empty silence in his wake.


	8. How to counsel Trolls

**A/N Apologies to all those who are awaiting me! (if any of you actually are...) We had computer problems which begain with the internet acting up and not letting me post a chapter, to corroding software, to getting a complete rebooty thingy or whatever those techy people call it and having it in the shop for over a week. Long story short, I lost my work and am finally being able to redo it. Heh, heh, heh... I hope at least someone out there will appreciate my pain enough to review?**

"I think he's chickened out." Ron whispered at last. Here we were, in the trophy room after midnight, waiting for Draco Malfoy to appear and start duelling with Harry. After the disastrous episode with the Remembrall everyone expected to see Harry expelled.

Hah!

He actually ended up being put on the Griffindor Quidditch team. I still didn't understand why Ron kept going on about it, and whenever Harry or I asked us to explain, he'd go crazy excited and waltz off on some long-winded explanation neither of us could follow.

Draco Malfoy seemed quite annoyed to see Harry happy and whole at the Griffindor table in the evening and decided to challenge Harry to a Midnight Wizarding Duel. Ron took it upon himself to accept the challenge for Harry and I wanted to see what an actual duel looked like for myself. Hermione was not at all happy with our bout of planned rule breaking and tried to get us to call it off. When she realized it was no use, she tried to get back into Griffindor Tower to leave us to face our doom alone.

No problems with that.

Except for the fact that the Fat Lady had gone off on a midnight stroll and left Hermione locked out of the tower. Next thing we knew, she had decided to come with us and let us do the talking to get her out of trouble if she got caught. Then we found Neville on the floor because he'd forgotten the password and couldn't getin. But, now the Fat Lady was gone, so he decided to tag along too.

What a jolly party we were.

And we were bound to get caught.

"Sniff around, my sweet. They must be here somewhere. Probably hiding."

Of course it would be Filch that caught us.

He is definitely my least favourite person in the school. Even Draco Malfoy is better than him.

Harry motioned us all towards another exit.

"Come on." He mouthed. We tried to hurry as silently as we could until Neville panicked and tripped. One domino toppled another, and Neville crashed into Ron who fell and smashed into a suit of armour, announcing our prescence to the entire school and those withing a two mile radius.

"This way!" Harry yelled.

No point in trying to stay quiet anymore. We dashed along, hurtling down several corridors until we came out by the Charms classroom.

"I think... we lost him..." Panted Harry.

"You do realize Malfoy was never going to show up?" Hermione did not look happy at all. "He must have tipped off Filch."

That would be just like the little git. He was putting forward an excellent fight to try and beat Filch for the top spot of 'Melody's Bad Person List'. Neither of them was quite as bad as some of the kids from the orphanage, but I had no intention of going back there so I refused to count them as anything.

"Come on." Harry had this stubborn look on his face, like he knew Hermione was right but would never admit to it. We started to follow, but nothing ever seems to go right in life at times and Peeves just _had_ to turn up then and there.

"Ooh, ickle Firsties out of bed!"

I may allow myself to be called many things, but an 'ickle Firstie' was not one of them.

"Shut up Peeves." I snapped.

"Naughty, naughty, you'll get caughty!"

"Not if you don't tell on us."

"I really should you know. It's all for your own good."

"Get out of the way!" Snarled Ron, who tried to whack Peeves out of his way.

"STUDENTS OUT OF BED! STUDENTS OUT OF BED DOWN THE CHARMS CORRIDOR!"

Oranges. We were in trouble now. Harry led the way again as we ducked under Peeves and ran to the end of the corridor, where we were cut off by a locked door.

"This is it. This is the end." Ron moaned and slumped down dramatically.

"Stand aside." Commander Hermione took over, grabbing Harry's wand and tapping the door.

"_Alohomora_!"

The door swung open and we scrambled in, shutting it and pressing ourselves against it in the hope that Filch wouldn't try to open it.

"Where are they Peeves?"

_"Smell blood"_

What? Why would Peeves say something like that?

"Little morsels"

"Food for us"

"Food for pack"

I slowly turned my head.

Three heads looked back at me.

Three massive, drooling, fang-filled dog heads.

"Kill!"

"Pack Kill!"

"Pack! Pack! Kill! Kill!"

The rest of my companions finally noticed. Neville wrenched the door in and we all started scrambling out.

Except for Harry.

The idiotic little orange-head actually stayed in between us and the dog, trying to let the rest of us get out while he got torn to pieces!

Did he honestly think I was going to leave my first friend in the wizarding world, my first friend since mom died, my first friend to actually try to comfort me over my mom's death to get himself killed?

I grabbed the back of his shirt and yanked him out, slamming the door shut and cutting off the main noise of those bloodthirsty cries.

"Come on!" I snapped, pushing Harry after the others.

We ran, not caring about Filch anymore until we got to the entrance to our tower where the Fat Lady had mercifully taken up residence again.

"Where have you all been?"

"Never mind that, Pig Snout, Pig Snout." Harry panted out the password and we all clambered in through the hole and collapsed into the armchairs.

We just sat there in silence, breathing heavily.

Finally, Neville just got up and went off to his bed on shaking legs. Hermione got up too.

"I hope your satisfied with yourselves." She snarled. "That dog was the reason the third floor was forbidden. I can't count how many rules you've broken tonight."

"Well, why on earth would they keep a great brute like that in a school? If anything ever needed excercise its-"

"Didn't you use your eyes?" She cut across him scathingly. "Didn't you see what it was standing on?"

"The floor?" Harry inserted sarcastically. "I was actual kinda preoccupied with looking at its heads?"

"It was standing on a trapdoor. It's obviously guarding something. Now, if you don't mind I'm going to bed before you come up with another crazy scheme to get us killed or worse-" She lowered her voice threateningly, "_expelled._" With that, she turned on her heel and marched away through the door. Ron stood up shaking his head.

"No, we don't mind. You'd think we'd dragged her along with her fighting tooth and nail all the way, wouldn't you." He stalked off, leaving me and Harry in the armchairs.

"Well," Harry started to get up.

"Yes, Harry, what were you thinking?" I fixed him with my best 'accusing' stare.

"What d'you mean? You wanted to come along to see the duel."

"I mean, what were you thinking getting in front of that dog instead of running away?"

He looked startled.

"Well, I didn't want any of you to get hurt, so..."

"You tried to get yourself killed?"

He looked me directly in the eyes.

"You would actually have cared?"

What. The. Bloody Orange. Did. He. Think. He. Was. Talking. About.

"Hmm, let's see, shall we..." I put on a mock thinking expression.

"Would I have cared if I had to watch my first friend since I was eight die, or if I had to watch my first wizarding world friend get killed, or would I have cared if I had lost my best friend I can ever remember having?" I hadn't exactly meant to yell at him, but how in the world was I supposed to stay calm? He actually thought I didn't care about him?

Harry just looked at me with a funny expression.

"How could you want me as your friend? I'm nothing but a freak."

"Nothing... but..." How did I miss it? How did I not see? Harry was suffering from the same kind of thing I was. He had been told over and over again that he was worthless, that nobody in their right mind would care.

Just like me.

How did I miss seeing how eager he was to have someone there to accept him?

"Harry, I can think of many things to call you, but none of them are 'freak'." I closed my eyes. Why me? Why did I always get myself into these situations?

"When I was eight, my mom died. She was killed right in front of me." Harry looked startled.

"I loved her. She was always there for me, and then she was killed protecting me from some people I now know were wizards. I didn't know what was going of and I needed to have someone there. But no one was there. I found myself living at an orphanage where all the kids laughed at me and teased me. They hurt me because I was different. Because I could do magic, even though I didn't know what it was.

They called me a freak."

He was staring at me like he'd never seen me before.

"But now I'm at Hogwarts. I know that I'm not a great witch or anything, but I still belong here. Everyone has somewhere they must belong. In the muggle world you might be viewed as a freak, but here you're not. You're not a freak."

I took a deep breath. This was turning out to be much harder than I had expected. How was I supposed to give satisfactory words of comfort when I still struggle with fitting in and feeling like I'm the freak?

"You are a wizard and my friend. I don't want to lose you Harry." My voice had dropped to a trembling whisper. "I don't want to loose someone I care about again."

I couldn't continue. I just couldn't. I was going to start crying. I got up and walked over to the girls' staircase as quickly as I could without running.

I got into bed and pulled out the small photo of my mom Dumbledore had given me. It was all I had left of her. She smiled up at me, not knowing what struggles I had. How would she have handled the conversation down there?

I didn't know.

Neither Harry nor I mentioned that conversation at all in the weeks that followed. I continued to hang out with Harry and Ron or Hermione. She refused to talk to the boys and I found myself being torn between me friends.

I had told Harry I didn't want to loose his friendship and I meant it. But I didn't want to loose Hermione's friendship either.

Ron... was Harry's friend. We sort of got along, but if Harry hadn't been friends with both of us I probably wouldn't have ended up as more than sort-of-aquaintances with Ron.

Blaise and I would never have been friends if it hadn't been for our shared secret. As it was, it was hard to get to talk to him because of the Griffindor/Slytherin rivalry our houses shared. If ever we got to talk to each other it was during potions or in the amazingly awesomesauce Room of Requirement. We would practice using our talents there, and developing the linky thingy between us. It was neat, but unnerving. I was starting to feel some of his more intense emotions and he was starting to feel some of mine.

He had actually asked me what had been wrong with me the morning after the little 'talk' with Harry.

How far the linky thingy would go was yet to be discovered.

Classes were starting to get more interesting, and on Halloween Professor Flitwick told us we were ready to start making things fly. He had already made Trevor the Toad zoom around the classroom, but all we got to practice on was a feather. I got partnered with Neville, Harry with Seamus Finnegan, and Hermione with Ron. Why Professor Flitwick thought those two would work well together was beyond my comprehension.

Swish and flick... swish and flick...

Went the chant inside my head.

"Wingardium Leviosa!"

The feather flopped over.

At least it moved.

"Look everybody, Miss Granger has done it!" Sure enough, Hermione had gotten the hang of it and had the feather hovering above her desk. Ron looked furious.

"How'd'you get it?" I whispered.

"It's Win_gar_dium Levi_o_sa." She hissed back, stressing the important parts. I returned my attention to the determinedly stubborn feather, imagining it shooting up into the air where I could bash it around as payment for its annoyance.

"Wingardium Leviosa!" It finally followed my wand!

The moment of rejoicing cost me though.

The feather succumbed to the evil force of gravity yet again.

Class ended with Neville somehow blowing up the feather and I went to join Harry and Ron as we left the classroom.

"..._o_sa. Honestly, she's a nightmare." Of course, Ron was jealous of Hermione's success. "It's a wonder anyone can stand her."

Hermione burst into tears and hurried by as I joined the boys. Harry was looking after her with a worried expression.

"I think she heard you."

"So what? She must have noticed she's got no friends."

That

did it. I smacked him in the back of the head.

"Well then, what am I? An orange?" I spat. Ron looked stunned.

"You mean you actually like her as a friend?"

"Of course! How else am I supposed to?"

"Uh, she's great for doing your homework isn't she?"

"I hate to break it to you _Ronald_" He actually looked scared at my tone. "But I actually have friends for their friendship, not for their money or work or fame or whatever you choose your companions for." I turned and stalked off in search of Hermione. It seemed that I was somehow turning into become a counsellor of some sorts. Maybe I should start charging for it.

But yet again, fate in the form of staircases and passageways interfered with an easy search for my next patient and I didn't find her until it was almost suppertime.

"Hermione?" I called quietly as I stepped into the bathroom.

"Troll... In the dungeons... Thought you ought to know..." And Quirrel slumped down in a dead faint.

Ron let out a high pitched scream of terror and Harry covered his ears as students around them errupted into pandemonium. Dumbledore shot of several purple shots that cracked loudly to restore silence.

"Prefects, lead your students back to their dormitories."

Harry couldn't believe what he was hearing. Wouldn't it be safer for them to all just stay in here? And weren't the Slytherin Common Rooms in the dungeons. It would be better to keep all the students-

All the students.

Melody and Hermione.

Melody and Hermione were out there somewhere and didn't know about the troll.

"Ron!" Harry grabbed his friend's arm as they were being herded out.

"What?"

"I've just though- Melody and Hermione. They don't know about the troll."

Ron bit his lip hard.

"Oh, all right. But Percy had better not catch us."

The two boys slid around a group of Hufflepuffs. Harry didn't know where Melody was for sure, but he figured she'd be with Hermione in the bathroom. After all, talking to people about their problems seemed to be something she'd do.

His stomach clenched.

Harry just hoped he and Ron found the girls before the troll did. It would be bad enough seeing Hermione die, but Melody was his first friend, excluding Hagrid. He didn't want to lose her.

"Percy!" Ron hissed and the duo hid behind a statue. It was not Percy who came by, but Snape with his wand at the ready and his cloak billowing behind him as he went off at a rapid pace.

"What's he doing here? Why isn't he down in the dungeons with the other teachers?"

"I dunno..."

"Wait, what's that smell?"

Harry watched in shock as a figure that could only be a troll came shuffling down the passageway. The stench was awful, but the thing that bothered Harry the most was the enormous club the troll was dragging along. It paused, before slouching into a room off to the side.

"The key's still in the lock. We could try to lock it in." Harry whispered.

"Okay..." Ron was pale, but moved forward with Harry. Both boys were ready to run, but Harry leaped forward, slamming the door shut and turning the key.

"Yes!" Relief and excitement moved the two boys as they started to run away, flushed with relief at their success. However, a terrified scream stopped them in their tracks.

"That's the girls' bathroom!" Ron gasped. Harry was already moving. He would _not_ let anyone die! He wrenched the key in the lock and pushed the door open to be greeted by a horrible sight.

Hermione was cowering against the wall, hands over her head. Melody was in there with her, shooting spells at the troll.

"Expelliarmus! Petrificus Totalus! Locomotor Mortis! Flipendo!"

None of the spells seemed to have any effect on the troll besides making it angrier. The bolts of light kept bouncing off the troll's skin.

Harry watched, frozen, as she aimed for the eyes.

"Scourgify!"

_That _had an effect. The troll bellowed in pain and began swinging its club.

"Melody!" He yelled as the club began to descend towards her.

"What?!" Melody looked over at him in shock. "Harry?"

The club smashed into the wall of one of the stalls before demolishing it into a ruin and careening the debris into Melody who was staring at Harry. Everything went silent and time seemed to slow down to allow him the torture of watching her being knocked into the air like a limp doll before crumpling under a heap of wreckage.

He was hardly aware of what he was doing as he launched himself at the troll, jumping on its back and clinging on for dear life while Hermione silently screamed and Ron performed the levitating spell by only mouthing the words and the troll's club soared into the air before landing on its owner's head and knocked it out. Harry slowly took out his wand from the troll's nostril, not knowing how he had got it there. Hermione and Ron stared at him as he automatically wiped it off on the trolls trousers and started to move towards the place he had last seen Melody.

**A/N And that's that chapter. Galleons for anyone who can identify where I got the doggie's last few words from! And if anybody's wondering... Melody does her best to use fruit she dislikes to swear instead of actual swear words. She detests oranges, therefore she swears with them. (I personally find them fine, but she is not me) Please, please, pretty please, review?**


	9. look out for Apples!

Professor Severus Snape was having a bad day already.

He had woken with a headache, promptly taken care of by use of a headache relieving potion as he was the potions master after all, and after he had taken it he had passed by a portrait charmed to only allow him to see the actual contents.

A portrait of Lily Evans.

That portrait smiled at him, but he didn't smile back. It had just reminded him of what date it was.

October 31st.

Halloween.

The anniversary of the Dark Lord's defeat.

The anniversary of Lily's death.

To make matters worse, those infernal Weasel twins decided that his class was going too smoothly and took it upon themselves to liven things up.

He had had to send five students up to Madam Pomphrey and administer an antidote to over half of the other students.

Of course, the Despicable Duo had made sure he didn't see them throw the boomslang skin into the cauldron of one of his serpents, but a quick Legillimency probe had given him all the proof he had needed to remove 50 points from Griffindor and give a week's detention each.

He had hoped that the afternoon might go better, but no...

Quirrel had to go vanish for ages, leaving him to prowl around the third floor to make sure there were no attempts on swiping the stone.

No matter what Dumbledore said, Severus didn't feel safe having that thing in a school full of children who could be used as hostages or go off on their own to try and explore the forbidden floor. He was positive Quirrel was working for the Dark Lord and trying to get the stone on his orders. But of course, Dumbledore supposedly knew _everything _that went on in the school and insisted that the stone was in no danger.

Quirrel didn't bother showing himself at all that afternoon, which put Severus in an even fouler mood since he _still _had no proof of what Quirrel was up to.

He discovered exactly what the stuttering jerk had been up to at supper.

Quirrel came racing into the Great Hall, yelled about a troll escaping into the dungeons, and collapsed dramatically.

The youngest Weasel boy turned out to be a wimp and screamed like a five year old.

Panic ensued, and Dumbledore decided to send everyone _out _of the Great Hall and back to their common rooms when he knew full well the Slytherin common room was in the dungeons where the troll was reported to be.

Of course Severus was not going to allow such a thing to happen while he was head of Slytherin.

The prefects had thankfully shown enough sense to keep the Slytherins waiting in the hall in relative calm instead of heading down to troll territory. Severus awarded them fifty points for that and sent them to wait in the library and have supper there. Pincer could deal with it. He had more important things to do.

Such as making sure Quirrel didn't get his grubby little fingers on the stone.

The door was partially ajar when he arrived.

Severus swiftly entered. If Quirrel had already gotten past-

_**SNARL**_

Pain ripped through his leg as one of those blasted creature's heads sank its fangs into his flesh. Tearing away, Severus risked a look down at the trapdoor.

It was still shut properly, and the spell placed on it to notify the headmaster whenever it was opened was still intact.

Slamming the door shut, he headed back down the stairway, leg throbbing in agony. Screams reached his ears and he broke into a run.

Professors McGonagall and Quirrel were also running towards the source; the girls' bathroom.

Minerva swept inside with him and Quirrel behind.

There was the troll, lying on the ground beside a massive club. Weasel wimp was staring at it with his wand raised, and the Brat-Who-Wouldn't-Listen-To-Orders was frozen in mid-step. Quirrel whimpered at sat down on a toilet seat.

"What happened? Why aren't you in your common room?"

Snape directed a probe at the Brat-That-Wouldn't-Answer. The boy blinked and looked at a pile of wreckage behind him.

"Please Professor, they were looking for me."

"Miss Granger!"

Severus hadn't noticed little miss know-it-all in the corner before. Now she stood trembling, looking like she was about to cry.

"I-I had r-r-read all about them an-and thought I could handle it."

Idiotic Griffindors.

"B-b-but Professor," she gave a strangled sob, "Melody tried to stop me and s-s-s-she wouldn't let me g-g-g-go on my own and the troll- it-it-" She sobbed again and pointed at the wreckage, which Severus had only just realized had a hand sticking out under it.

Minerva was to stunned to register what Granger had just said, but Severus was already moving. One wave of his wand lifted off the rubble to reveal the still form of Gwetheren, bloody with limbs askew. He knelt beside her, performing a light scan to reveal the worst injuries and to check her vitals.

"Will she be alright? Sir?" The Boy-Who-Got-His-Friends-Into-Trouble was looking desperately at him. His glasses had slipped to the end of his nose, giving Severus a full dose of Lily's eyes.

"She should be, but it will be Madam Pomphrey who decides that for sure."

Severus conjured a stretcher and cautiously floated the injured student into it. Minerva nodded to him and moved aside to allow him free passage to bring the girl out.

Severus tried to avoid looking at her as much as possible. Potter's brat having Lily's eyes was bad enough, but this girl was the very image of her mother! Severus may not have been in love with Lydia, but he still owed her and would make it up to her by taking care of her daughter as well as Lily's son.

"Professor Snape?"

The girl had woken up and was looking at him, identical to the way her mother had once looked up at him when he had payed back the life debt he owed.

Severus had hoped to never see it again.

"Don't move."

"Why would I move if I just got clobbered by a troll?"

Cheeky little thing.

"Griffindors have a tendency to do stupid things like that."

"I thought they had a tendency to get into trouble, not make it worse afterwards."

Her father's daughter as well, if not in looks than in deeds.

"Both happen around them."

She looked like she was about to say something else, but paused. Severus had stopped too.

Why on earth would Fawkes choose to come here?

A phoenix was gliding down the hall towards them, coming to land on the edge of the stretcher. The girl stared at it in awe. Severus was quite sure she had never seen one before.

"Hey, beautiful." She whispered. The phoenix trilled, fluttering its long tail feathers.

Wait, why were the ends black?

Severus realized this bird wasn't Fawkes at all.

It was slightly smaller than Dumbledore's bird, and looked like the ends of its tail feathers were lit with a black fire.

"Please, sir, could you kinda... not tell anybody? Please?"

The girl was looking at him with a nervous expression.

"I don't want anyone to take her away."

Severus was stunned.

This girl had bonded with a _phoenix?_ What kind of power did she have to attract a familiar like that? Even Fawkes hadn't bonded to Dumbledore until after he had proven himself by defeating Grindelwald. The girl looked uncomfortable as he scrutinized her.

"Very well then."

"Not even Dumbledore?"

How the... Was she a Major Empath and had just gotten past his Occlumency barrier? How did she know he had been planning to tell him as soon as he could get away.

"Not even Dumbledore."

"Thank you sir."

The phoenix brushed its head against the girl's cheek, crooning softly. She relaxed. Severus watched in silence as the phoenix continued its song, before taking flight in a whirl of feathers and flame. The girl rolled up off the stretcher.

"I told you not to move."

"That was before I was healed." She raised her arms and stood up to prove her point.

How the... That was... She...

"That's impossible." Severus couldn't understand what the hell had just happened. "Phoenix tears have healing powers, but all that one did was sing."

"We're bonded." She stated simply.

Severus' headache was back. He didn't understand how or why that phoenix had done whatever it had done to the girl.

"I'm still taking you to the hospital wing."

The girl had the cheek to roll her eyes at him.

-pagebreakpagebreakkaerbegapk earbegap-

Every cloud has silver lining, but I would have preferred the cloud to have been troll free.

Hermione was now friends with Harry and Ron as well. Facing a giant troll together can really unite people.

Professor Snape kept on giving me these funny looks, but I don't think he's told anyone about Tasha. I certainly hope not.

The worst lasting effect that incident had was to demolish my precious pink map book.

But now, I was firm friends with those three and we went to classes and the Great Hall together, so I was safe for the moment.

Crabapple and Apple Juice were still being friendly, but it looked like they were up to something.

Whenever I passed them in the halls together, they would stop talking and try to look innocent.

I found out what they were conspiring about a week before Harry's first Quidditch match. Those two had a Hogsmeade Trip, so I hadn't been expecting to have them abduct me from the library before they left.

"I'm not allowed! I'm only a first year!"

They had the nerve to ignore me, and handed Filch a letter which apparently explained the method to their madness before I found myself being dragged along to Hogsmeade, without any idea of what was going on.

"You'll see when we're there." Crabapple assured me.

"Why are you kidnapping me?" Apple Juice laughed.

"Don't worry, Blossom. We're just taking you to meet someone."

"Who?"

"Wouldn't be a surprise if we told you now, would it?"

Hogsmeade came into view, taking the protests from me as I stared at it in awe.

It was a bustling village, full of people and magical looking places.

"Come on, we're going to the Three Broomsticks for lunch, but we'll take you to Zonko's first and Honeydukes afterwards with... your surprise person."

"We got special permission from Dumbledore for this outing you know. Took a lot of persuasion."

People jostled about, going this way and that. Crabapple kept a hand on my shoulder to make sure I didn't get lost.

"Here we are!"

Apple Juice opened the door of Zonko's for us. Inside, there were tons of amazing magical prank items! Fred and George were over looking into a bin that seemed to be full of fireworks, while a crate of Dungbombs perched precariously over their heads. Fake spiders dangled from the ceiling, twitching up and down on silvery threads. Frisbees zoomed around, but these ones snarled and snapped, trying to bite you if you came within range.

"Wow..." I breathed.

This place was awesome.

Sure, I might not be much of a prankster myself, but if someone annoys me enough I might consider revenge.

The three of us spent the rest of the morning exploring the shop. Other students came and went, some of them actually buying items.

"Alright, time for lunch!" Crabapple announced cheerfully. Apple Juice led the way out of the shop and over to a pub which proclaimed itself the be The Three Broomsticks. We had just stepped inside, when a girl with bright pink hair ran up to us in a state of great excitement.

"Wotcher guys! Great to see you again! And is this really little Melody?" She looked down at me as if she couldn't quite grasp what she was seeing.

"Wotcher AJ!" Crabapple stepped forward, beaming.

"Shall we go sit down and get acquainted?" Suggested Apple Juice.

"Right then! Mum and I got a table over this way- oh, _sorry_." She had just tripped on the leg of one of the chairs and had stumbled into another guest. Crabapple rolled her eyes.

"Still klutzy as ever."

"Oi! I have gotten better I'll have you know!" Retorted AJ cheerfully. "I don't trip over my feet during duel practice anymore."

"That must have taken _ages_ to master." Quipped Apple Juice in mock awe. AJ swatted at him playfully. She led the way to a table removed from the main hustle and bustle of the inn. A woman with dark curly hair rose to greet us.

"Good Afternoon Mrs. Tonks!"

"Hello, Aunty Andy!"

Mrs. Tonks hugged Apple Juice and Crabapple.

"It's good to see you again Cedric and Alice." She turned to look at me before putting a hand on my shoulder. "It's good to get to see you again too, Melody. You like very much like your mother."

"You knew me and my mother?" She smiled.

"I did." She motioned for us to take seats around the table.

"Your mother actually stayed at my house after your godparents' deaths until she left the magical world."

"My godparents' deaths?" I had had godparents?

Mrs. Tonks paused.

"What do you know about your mother's life before she lived as a muggle?"

I chewed my lower lip thoughtfully.

"Well, I know that lots of people seem to know about her, and that she was a witch. Crabapple and Apple Juice told me she was the one who started the Apple Ritual. And, besides that..." I shrugged. "Nothing, really."

AJ shifted uncomfortably in her chair.

"Didn't she ever tell you she was a witch?" She asked curiously. I shook my head.

"Well then, I guess I'll begin at the beginning." Said Mrs. Tonks.

"Your mother was a Slytherin, top of her class, excelled at Potions, Transfiguration, and Defense against the Dark Arts. Her closest friends were actually Griffindors."  
"Griffindors?"

"Yes, Griffindors. Lydia got along well with anyone who would let her get along with them. She was best friends with Lily Evans who later became Lily Potter."

"You mean Harry's mom was friends with my mom?"

"She was also quite close to Harry's dad as well. Lily was like Lydia's sister, and James was like her brother. Your mother and James went on to become Aurors together with another of their friends."

"What's an auror?"

"Aurors are Dark Wizard catchers."  
"That's what I'm planning to become!" Chipped in AJ. Mrs. Tonks continued as if there had been no interruption.

"Your mother was well on her way to becoming the best auror in history. She smashed the previous records for successful missions completed and dark wizards caught in the shortest amount of time. But the reason that most people know about her was because of the St. Mungos' Miracle."  
"What's Saint Mungos?"

"The main magical hospital for those badly injured."

"Oh."

"Anyhow, You-Know-Who sent his followers, the Death Eaters, to attack St. Mungos and destroy as much of it as possible. After all, why would he allow his enemies to have easy access to somewhere they could have their injuries and sicknesses healed to allow them to fight him? So he sent his followers there in mass force. I don't think there was ever a larger battle in the history of his rise."

"But they lost?"

"Yes, they did, which is why that battle was known as the St. Mungos' Miracle. Back then, the main opposition to You-Know-Who's forces was an organisation known as the Order of the Phoenix. Your mother was an active participant along with Harry's parents. Lily Potter was actually at work as a healer there when the Death Eaters attacked and was able to notify the Order immediately."  
I listened in fascination. My mother had been a famous fighter? Working against Voldemort? Why hadn't she ever told me anything about it?

"I was there as well, fighting against the Death Eaters. They couldn't attack the building more than twenty at a time because of the way the wards had been set up. A large number of curse breakers were working on the wards during the battle, trying to set them up to protect the building completely, so that all the defenders had to do was hold off the Death Eaters until they were fully activated. The only challenge was the numbers of the Death Eaters. There were so many that if one fell, it seemed like three more took that one's place. Somehow, your mother and two other order members fought their way through the swarm and positioned themselves in front of the building so that the only way for the Death Eaters to win was to kill them."  
My innards turned to ice. My mom had purposely put herself in such a position that she was practically guaranteed death?

"I had never seen anything like it, and I don't believe I will ever see anything like it ever again. To this day, I have never seen _anyone _use their wand so quickly or accurately. Your mother didn't bother shielding herself, but just tilted her body to avoid the spells. It was like she already knew where they were going to hit!"

All four of us were hanging on her every word. I would never have imagined my mom being able to do anything like that.

"It took half an hour for the wards to be properly charged. In the first fifteen minutes, one of her companions was killed. It took five Death Eaters to finish him off. Her other companion was killed ten minutes after. In the meantime, aurors and order members were fighting from behind, healers who could be spared were attacking from the building, all of them forcing the Death Eaters to focus attention on them in order to give your mother more time to fight. When her other companion fell, it seemed hopeless. I thought that the Death Eaters were going to win, that the hospital and all those in it were going to be destroyed. I-I was positive your mother was going to die."

Mrs. Tonks took a shuddering breath as she closed her eyes before continuing.

"Then Lydia did some spell I had never seen before. It was like a curtain of fire, but the flames were living creatures, attacking all those who got too close. Many of the Death Eaters tried to douse the flames, but none of their spells worked. All their attention was devoted to that Firewall, which allowed those of us who were not also entranced to wreak havoc on them. Finally, what looked like a clear shield encompassed the front of the building. The wards were fully active and the Death Eaters had failed their mission. And then..." her voice trailed off.

"What?" The four of us chorused. "What happened"

"She threw her wand over the heads of the Death Eaters to the nearest order member, James Potter."

"She _what!?_"

"She threw James her wand. Death Eaters around us were trying to escape, but she had exhausted her magical core to the point where she couldn't continue. One of the Death Eaters stunned her, and then they took her with them as they made their escape."

Silence greeted her words as we stared at her in shock and disbelief. Mrs. Tonks looked older, like she was seeing it all over again.

"It was about a week later when she somehow escaped. Lydia somehow escaped from wherever You-Know-Who had been keeping her imprisoned."  
"But why would he just keep her captive if she had been so damaging?" Frowned Crabapple.

"She was an auror and one of the order's most valuable members. He must have wanted information. But the amazing thing is, she managed to keep all the secrets she had been entrusted with."  
"But how? Wouldn't You-Know-Who have tortured her for it?"

"Lydia never spoke about her time there. She never told anyone exactly what had happened as far as I know. She never told how she had escaped."

"Why not?"

"I really don't know. But as a result of her actions during the battle, she was awarded the Order of the Mage, while the companions she had been fighting with received the Order of Merlin, 1st class posthumously."

"Wow..."

"Your mother was a great woman, Melody. She named Lily and James as your godparents. When they were killed by You-Know-Who on that October night, she came over to my house with you and stayed with us until... she left for the muggle world."

We all sat in silence, thinking about my mother. I felt... numb. Why hadn't she told me any of this? If she was such a great witch, why was she killed?

"Your mother left you a great legacy." Mrs. Tonks finally broke the silence in a soft voice. "You should be proud to be her daughter."

I nodded.

I would be my mother's daughter. I would try to live up to the legacy she had left me.

Look out Hermione. I have a goal and the energy to pursue it. I would _not _let mom's memory down by not being the best I could. I would work to be the best, to pass Hermione in class. I would set foot in the library during my free time.

I silently resolved to follow in my mother's footsteps, no matter what it took.

**A/N Thank you eastern-tennis1621 for reviewing! It reallly encourages me to hear that people are actually enjoying my writing.**


	10. The lake of jinxes

"Put me down!"

I had been on my way to the library for some more books on charms when two redheads appeared in my path. One of them grabbed my bag from me and the other grabbed me, slinging me over his shoulder before the two of them started running off.

"No doing!"

"You see..."

"You showed great promise..."

"Of one day following in our footsteps..."

"But then you had that trip..."

"With enemies from rival houses..."

"Who must have brainwashed you..."

"Cause now all you do..."

"Is study in the library..."

"Or the common room..."

"Or the Great Hall..."

"And you are in grave danger..."

"Of becoming a bookworm..."

"And top in your class..."

"Which would lead to you becoming..."

"A Teacher's Pet..."

"Then Prefect..."

"Then Headgirl..."

"A rule-lover..."

"Rule enforcer..."

"And overall a most boring person..."

"Which would never do..."

"So we have conspired..."

"To save you from that fate..."

"One of the most horrid possible..."

"Besides becoming like Percy..."

"Which is definitely the most horrid possible..."

"By kidnapping me?"

"But of course!" The chorused together before racing down the steps of the castle and across the lawn.

"Will you just put me down Fred?" I yelled.

"Hey, I take offense at that!" Yelled the one with my bag.

"I happen to be George thank you very much!" My captor informed me.

"How am I supposed to know the difference?"

"Why little Melody..."

"Why on earth..."

"Would we allow you to know that..."

"Since we so enjoy it..."

"When you never get our names correct..."

"Or even when you do..."

"You always second guess yourself..."

"And get in such a fluster..."

"And roll your eyes..."

"In such an endearing fashion."

"Just put me down!"

I tried to struggle and wiggle my way free, but this red haired whatever his name was had a death grip on me. It was then I realized where we were heading.

"DON'T YOU DARE!" I shrieked at the top of my lungs before they dared and I was tossed into the lake.

I came up sputtering and gasping as I floundered, trying to get back to the shore where the two former role models were flopped down on the bank laughing.

"I can't swim!" I tried to put a note of desperation into my voice as I splashed frantically.

If those two were going to prank me, I was going to get them back. Nobody pranks me and gets away with it.

"What?" One of them actually managed to sit up and look at me. I flailed my limbs, purposefully going lower into the water and pretending to cough on it before I slipped under, still struggling.

Two forms of bubbles appeared in the water, showing that they had taken the bait. I had never turned into a fish before, so I wasn't comfortable doing so now. I dived deeper, under the duo before coming up near the bank. I pulled myself out of the water and looked back. The twins had come up for air before ducking back under to search for poor little me who wasn't even there. I picked up my bag from where it had been discarded before grabbing one of theirs.

"What?"

They had put a Featherlight charm on the bags to allow them to carry their bags around easily. That made my task a whole lot easier. I picked up the other bag and started hurrying back towards the castle, weighted down by my dripping robes. I had just reached the steps when faint shouts told me I had been discovered. A quick look over my shoulder told me that they had started their pursuit.

I ran back towards where I thought Griffindor Tower was, the two of them gaining on me all the time. I was sure they were going to catch me when I saw the library up ahead and dashed inside, looking around for a place to hide. Harry looked up at me from the corner where he was studying in confusion. I darted towards him, knocking his legs out of the way as I burrowed under his chair before forcing his legs back to where they had been before.

"Melody, wha-"

"Shhh!" I hissed. "I'm not here!" I quickly held my breath as the library door swung open to reveal the soggy shoes of the Weasley twins, looking for me.

"Harry, have you seen Melody anywhere?"

"Why are you guys wet?"

"OUT! OUT!" Shrieked Madam Pince, brandishing a duster at the two interlopers. "HOW DARE YOU COME IN HERE SOPPING WET AND DESTROYING MY BOOKS?!" I saw the shoes make a hasty retreat and the door closed. I waited until Madam Pince had moved away, still muttering to herself, before I finally left my hideout.

"Thanks Harry!" I beamed at him as I sat down beside him. He looked at me funnily.

"Why are you all wet?"

"Oh, right!" I took my wand out of my bag, moving the stolen ones under the table. I had been practicing a drying charm in the Room of Requirement the day before, and managed to successfully cast it one myself, taking care of my robes.

"So?" Harry looked like he was steeling himself for my answer. Having me come racing into the library and hide under his chair with the Weasley Twins following me and all of us being soaked had to have looked bad.

"It was their fault." I jerked my head towards the door. "They decided I had been spending too much time in here and thought that it would be beneficial to throw me into the lake."

Harry looked lost for words.

"They threw you into the lake?"

"Yep."

"Then why are they wet too?" I flushed.

"They might have somehow gotten the faulty idea I couldn't swim." I tried to portray the perfect picture of innocence.

"So they jumped in after you?"

"Mhm."

"And you have their bags because..."

"They pranked me, so I'm more than entitled to my revenge I'd say."

Harry shook his head.

"Remind me why they thought it would be a good idea to throw you in"

"They thought I would become too goody two-shoes and all booky because I'm in the library so much and they wanted me to... loosen up I guess. You don't think I'm becoming a bookworm, do you?" I fixed him with a sweet smile that promised death for those who answered incorrectly.

"Well," he began slowly, "you _have _been spending a lot of time in here."

"I know. I have to study."

"For what?"

"Becoming an Auror."

"A what?"

"A dark wizard catcher."

"Why would you need to study for that now? We're only first years. What if you decide you want to do something else?"

I slowly reached down for my bag. Harry would understand. He wouldn't laugh. He knew what it was like to grow up without parents, even though his parents had been gone longer than my mom.

I handed him the picture of my mother.

"Is this..."

"It's my mom." I said quietly. "It's the only picture I have of her." Harry looked up at me.

"Why are you showing this to me?"

"My mom was an auror. One of their best. I didn't know anything about her life as a witch until I met Crabapple and Apple Juice."

"Who?"

"Alice Wright and Cedric Diggory. Anyhow, turns out my mom was famous. Those two got special permission to bring me into Hogsmeade to meet someone who my mom had been friends with. They told me about mom's work and I just felt... that if... if I were... to, well, become an auror like her, then I might be able to sort of... get to kind of... know her." I bit my lip. "I don't want to forget her." I finished in a whisper.

Harry was silent for a moment. Then he nodded slowly.

"I understand." He said quietly. It was then that I remembered something else Aunt Andy (As she ordered me to call her) had said.

"I was told that my mom was best friends with you parents." Harry looked up at me in shock. "Apparently my mom was like their sister."

Harry smiled.

"Then I guess we're already keeping their memories alive and following in their footsteps with this friendship of ours."

"I think they'd be happy to know we're friends."

"So do I Melody, so do I."

OoOoOoOoOo

The Weasley Twins were too busy with Quidditch Practice to give me another dunking for my theft.

Harry was hard at work trying to keep up with school and get into shape for the first Quidditch game, and it was highly unlikely that he would have been able to keep on top of his homework without me and Hermione to help him.

Hermione and I were getting to be even better friends now that I was becoming a serious rival for top student in class with my newfound work ethic. But she still did not approve of the lengths I went to to help out Ron and Harry with theirs. It was nice to have someone to discuss the theory of the spells with.

Blaise was good for the practical part. He and I were meeting in the Room regularily, and now we would practice our 'duelling' spells together as well as practicing our talents. We couldn't talk to each other outside of the Room though, because the Griffindor vs. Slytherin quidditch match was right around the bend with both houses rooting fiercely for their team. Crabapple and Apple Juice were cheering for Griffindor this match, seeing as neither of their houses were playing.

Finally, the day of the match arrived. Harry had a bad case of nerves and couldn't eat breakfast. He didn't even notice I had brought my bag with me even though there were no classes. I was hiding a banner in it that Hermione and I had roped all the first years into making. Ron had donated one of his sheets after Scabbers had ruined it. Dean had drawn a lion's head on it, Seamus, Lavender, Neville, and Parvati had painted 'Potter for President' at the top, Hermione had performed a charm to make the words flash different colours, and I had performed a charm to make the lion roar. Crabapple had even taught me another one to make it roar loud enough for everyone to hear.

"It's time." Said Team Captain Oliver Wood. Whatever colour had been left in Harry's face drained away.

"It will be alright Harry. You'll be great." I gave him a reassuring hug. He nodded weakly before getting up and walking to the changing rooms.

"Ready guys?" I asked.

"Alright, let's go first years!" Hermione ordered. "You have the banner Melody?"

I patted my bag.

"Safe and sound."

"Good. Now then, Dean and Ron are the tallest two so you two will be responsible for holding the banner at the top. Seamus, you're going to hold it in the middle at the top. Parvati and Lavender, you two are going to hold near the bottom to make sure it doesn't blow away. Melody, you're going to be doing your charm to make it roar, and Neville and I will each hold a side. Now let's go get a good spot before they're all taken."

"Yes ma'am, right away ma'am." I sarcastically saluted her. She jerked her head in a nod before briskly walking out of the hall in front of us.

We got a seat right near at the top of the stadium smack in the middle of the Griffindors. I took out the banner and we carefully unfurled it with everyone holding it as directed. The crowds screamed and cheered; Harry and the rest of our team were walking out onto the pitch.

"_Sonorus._" I tapped the lion's head. It roared loudly, drowning out the cheers from the Slytherins as their players entered the pitch.

"Go Griffindor!" Yelled Ron excitedly.

"Come on now, budge over." Hagrid joined our knot around the banner as the players took off into the sky.

"Hello Hagrid!"

"Been watchin' from me hut, but it's not like bein' part of the crowd." He watched through a pair of large binoculars as the rest of us yelled ourselves hoarse, setting off the lion's roar every time Griffindor made a play we felt worthy of cheering for (practically everything they did).

Slytherin had just scored their first goal when Harry got into trouble. It looked like his broom was trying to throw him off. I froze. If Harry were to fall now, he would most likely get killed or worse... injured. Sometimes Hermione's mentality rubbed off on me.

"What's going on?" Gasped Ron.

"Did something happen when Flint blocked him?" Asked Seamus.

"Couldn't have." Hagrid muttered. "Nothin' could interfere with a broom that good 'cept a powerful dark curse." At those words, Hermione grabbed Hagrid's binoculars and looked over towards the teachers.

"I knew it." She moaned. "It's Snape. He's jinxing Harry's broom!"

"What?!" I snatched the binoculars and looked at the Potions Master. Sure enough, he had his eyes fixed on Harry and was muttering something fluently. Hermione and I had just read up on jinxes like that. You had to have unbroken eye contact. Snape was boring holes into Harry.

"What'll we do?" Moaned Ron, clenching his corner of the banner.

"I'll go this way, you go that." I snapped at Hermione, who seemed transfixed. "We have to stop him."

"Right." Hermione took off and I headed left, both of us pulling out our wands and circling around to get to where Snape was. I didn't pause to apologize as I bumped into people.

Harry swung off his broom as it gave a wild jerk. He was hanging onto it by one hand, and it was vibrating furiously. Fred and George were circling underneath to try to catch him. There was no time to get to Snape. I took careful aim.

"_Flipendo!"_ I missed.

It hit Quirrel who was sitting below Snape instead.

Hurrah for the domino effect!

Quirrel toppled over backwards, crashing into Snape's legs and breaking his eye contact as what looked like a flame spell from Hermione blazed up his cloak.

Harry pulled himself up onto the now docile broom and headed straight for the ground where he stumbled off and retched.

"I've got the Snitch!" Came his yell as he waved around the tiny golden ball he had almost swallowed.

Griffindor and their supporters went wild.

Hermione and I had done it!

Harry had won the game!

I could relax now.

Except for the fact that someone had just grabbed my neck from behind of course.

**A/N Thank you to all who have favourited and followed me! I am not alone! (Please don't throw me into the lake for ending the chapter there)**

**Thank you ILoveReadingAndWriting for your awesome review! I'm glad you found my OCs inspiring (and hoped I made it realistic enough). I love having loyal fans.**

**Shadow**


	11. Mistrusted Christmas

"... react well? Really?"

"Wait, I think she's waking up."

My vision was blurry and my head hurt as I tried to focus on the two people ahead of me. Blaise was there along with some other girl with short brown hair and amber eyes that I didn't recognize.

"Sorry, I didn't realize what you were and I had no intention of knocking you out like that."

The girl was looking worried, and as she came into focus I saw that she was wearing a Ravenclaw tie.

"What... happened?" I finally mumbled.

"Lisa tried to scold you for bumping into her, but the skin contact gave such a powerful jolt you got knocked out."

Right. The hand on the neck. The jolt? Wait, she was...

"You're like us?" I finally sat up and took in my surroundings. We were in the room. Blaise was slouching in an armchair with the girl perched on the edge. I had been lying on a couch.

"Yep." She nodded. "I'm a Major Empath."

Okay then...?

Blaise snickered.

"Gwetheren, you have the funniest clueless face I have ever seen."

I shot him a filthy look.

"It's alright. Not many people know about us anyhow. I'm Lisa Turpin from Ravenclaw. And as a Major Empath I can feel other peoples emotions and influence them."

Okay, not creepy at all.

Turpin nodded sympathetically.

"It is a bit creepy."

How-

"Yes, I felt you emotions." She smiled.

Alrighty then, officially creeped out by this girl.

"I'm also a natural Legillimens, which means that I can read other people's minds."

I gazed at her warily, and she looked me in the eye.

_Harry was trying to hang onto his broom..._

WHAT'S GOING ON?

_Hermione grabbed Hagrid's binoculars..._

STOP IT! STOP!

As suddenly as it had begun, the memory replay had stopped and I was clutching my head as Turpin beamed at Blaise.

"Oh, dear Zabini. Looks like she's better at something than you! She's a natural Occlumens."

"What... The... Bleeding... Pomegranate... Just... Happened..."

"I attacked your mind and you managed to force me out easily. Your mind has natural protections around it."

I glared at the girl.

"You attacked my mind?"

"You didn't believe me when I told you about being a Legilimens, so I decided to prove it."

"And anyhow, guess what having her as part of the team means?" Blaise inserted himself.

"What?"

"You know the mind link we share? Well, since Lisa's talent had to do with emotions and mind reading and that stuff, we'll be able to develop the link so we can communicate mentally!"

Great. Just great. I'm going to have to spend time with a girl I never talked to before and have her link herself to my mind.

I don't know her, and I don't trust her.

"I'd better be getting back to my common room." I stood up. "We're going to be celebrating the win."

"Meet us here next Tuesday?" Blaise grinned. "We should get working on developing this link as soon as we can."

I shrugged before walking down the passageway I had commandeered. My senses were on high alert after that mental attack. I really didn't want to have to spend more time with Turpin than possible.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Harry looked around the common room for Melody. She had vanished some time during the match and he, Ron and Hermione were eager to know if she knew anything about Nicholas Flamel.

"There she is!" Pointed Hermione. Melody was rubbing her temples as she looked around at the partying Griffindors. Harry was excited about the win of course, but he really wanted to find out what Snape was up to. He waved and motioned for her to come over as she finally saw them.

"Where were you?" Asked Hermione. "I didn't see you after you hit Quirrel with that jinx."

"Never mind that." Harry had no patience for that kind of quiz. It could wait. "Have you ever heard of Nicholas Flamel?"

"Nicholas Flamel?" Echoed Melody, frowning. "It sounds familiar, but I don't know where I would have read about him before. Why?"

Harry looked around quickly. The rest of the Griffindors were too busy partying to pay any attention to them. He turned back to Melody.

"We went to Hagrid's after the game and told him about Snape jinxing my broom and trying to get past that three headed dog."

"He tried to get past the dog?" Gasped Melody.

"Yeah, you were in the library when I told Ron and Hermione about it. I went to the staff room yesterday evening and he was in there with Filch."

Melody shuddered at Filch's name.

"Anyhow, his leg was a bloody mess and he was asking Filch how to keep his eyes on all three heads at once. Hagrid said Snape would never try to get past that dog he named Fluffy, and said that it was none of our business what was under the trapdoor. He said it had something to do with Nicholas Flamel."

Melody smirked. Harry felt a sense of foreboding. That look on Melody's face made him feel uneasy.

"You know what this means?" She asked quietly.

"What?" Ron looked at her eagerly.

"We have to find out who Nicholas Flamel is."

Hermione started smiling a scary smile too as she seemed to suddenly understand what Melody was saying. The two girls grinned at each other

"And to do that..."

"We will _all_ have to go look for him..."

"In the library."

The girls looked at Harry and Ron with identical wicked grins. Ron looked horror struck.

"The library?"

"The library." Melody confirmed, smiling broadly at the two of them. Ron groaned and Harry shook his head. What had he ever done to deserve something like that?

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

I _knew _I had read about Flamel somewhere. It was proving much harder to find him than I had anticipated.

Harry, Ron, Hermione and I were spending most of our free time before Christmas in the library, pulling out different books that might contain a passing reference to the mysterious man. I had taken the liberty of taking out two books on Occlumency and a genealogy book on Slytherin's line while we were in there.

Blaise and I were working on developing our mind link with Turpin, and I still didn't trust her so I was working to hide my mind from her.

It was also slightly annoying because I couldn't ask Blaise about Flamel because he would be sure to ask Turpin and I didn't want anyone I didn't trust to know what my friends and I were up to.

The genealogy book turned out to be more of an interesting read than I had anticipated. The Gwetherens were one of the oldest pureblood families, but had relocated to France somewhere in the 1600s so I was probably the only English one. I was descended from Slytherin, but also from Hufflepuff as one of Slytherin's sons had married Hufflepuff's granddaughter.

Some of our family traits were natural Occlumency shields and immunity to truth serums. Also, the female Gwetherens had a track record of being seers.

Between my time in the library looking for Flamel, my time in the Room with Blaise and Turpin, and my time studying Occlumency and my family's history, November flew by and December dashed around the corner with Christmas hard on its heels, and for the first time in three years, I had to get presents for my friends.

It took some work, but I managed to make most of my presents while buying some using an owl order form Crabapple had explained to me. I ended up using it to get her a necklace with silver leaves trailing down it. Apple juice got an apple that had taken forever to charm to be lasting and changed colours while showing the time. I had had to ask Hermione to help me with it.

AJ got a picture of the Hogwarts grounds covered in a blanket of snow with the trees shimmering under a layer of frost. I had borrowed a camera from one of the older Griffindors whose name I promptly forgot. I had charmed it to show her having a snowball fight with me, Crabapple and Apple Juice. The library was my favourite place in the entire castle. Turpin had sort of helped with putting in AJ by bringing up my memory of her.

I was happiest with my gifts for the twins, Harry, Ron and Hermione.

Hermione got a book on Alchemy. I had heard her asking Percy about it during our first week at Hogwarts. Alchemy wasn't too popular of a subject here, so I had to owl order the book. She was going home for the holidays, but I was staying at the castle with Harry and the Weasleys.

Christmas day dawned, and I hurried down to the common room to wish Ron and Harry a 'Merry Christmas'.

"There you are! Come on, Harry insisted on waiting for you before we open presents."

For me?

"I got presents?" I accidently voiced my question aloud.

"Me too!" Harry sounded like a hyperactive five year old. I flopped down in front of the tree with the two of them with a huge smile on my face.

"Alright, how shall we do this?" I couldn't wipe off this stupid grin.

"Oldest to youngest!" Ron exclaimed, reaching for a present eagerly.

"Hey, how do you know you're the oldest?" Protested Harry. Ron paused, fingers millimetres away from a brightly wrapped gift.

"Either of you born before February?"

"July." Harry sighed.

"May."

"Then it's me first!"

"I protest!" I smacked his hand away. "I declare it shall be youngest to oldest!" I reached under the tree and pulled out a present with Harry's name on it, tossing it to him with my grin still in place. Harry looked at it in reverent awe.

"It's from Hermione." He read the tag before starting to unwrap it.

"Hurry up!" Ron moaned. Harry immediately slowed down and made a huge show of taking his time before laughing and pulling off the paper and taking out a bunch of chocolate frogs.

"Here!" Ron chucked another gift to me. It was from AJ/Tonks. I carefully took off the paper to reveal...

"Uh, guys... Any ideas as to what this is?" I held it up. Harry shrugged, but Ron's eyes almost popped out of his head.

"It's a dragonhide wand holster!" He exclaimed. "You strap it to your wrist and insert your wand. Then whenever you need it you simply flick your wrist and your wand pops into your hand!"

I strapped it to my right wrist and pulled my wand out of my pocket, practising flicking it into my hand.

"Awesome!"

Ron couldn't be restrained any longer and pulled out my gift to him. He gasped.

"Wow, Melody!" He pulled out a Chudley Cannons jersey with _Weasley _on the back. I couldn't stop smiling. No need for him to know that I simply charmed an old shirt I found orange and transfigured it to look like a Cannons' jersey. The name of the back had been the easiest part.

Harry took out his next present, this time from his aunt and uncle. It was a short note with a fifty pence piece taped on the back.

"That's friendly."

"Is that money? Weird..." Harry handed it to Ron who stared at it in fascination.

"You can keep it." Harry pulled out another present and tossed it to me. It was a combined present from Crabapple and Apple Juice. I pulled it open to find a scrapbook with a picture of my mom on the front. I cautiously opened it to find pictures of her on the Slytherin Quidditch team, part of a graduating class, hanging out with her friends, with some other aurors, newspaper clippins and pictures of her at what looked like Harry's parents' wedding. A note was in the back.

_We saw what you were like when you heard about your mom's career as a witch and went rummaging to put together this scrapbook for you. We hope you like it._

_Apple Juice & Crabapple_

"Earth to Melody, earth to Melody, come in please!" Ron was waving a hand in front of me.

"Oh, right, sorry." I carefully put the scrapbook aside and watched Ron open a batch of Chocolate Frogs from Hermione. Harry was looking at me curiously, so I mouthed _later_.

Harry nodded and turned his attention back to his own gifts, pulling out a wooden flute from Hagrid that sounded a bit like an owl.

I opened my gift from Hermione, and got chocolate frogs as well.

Ron opened a gift to him from anonymous. A loud 'quack' and the gift seemed to explode in a burst of multicoloured lights and mist, leaving behind a shakened Ron holding a rubber ducky that quacked every time he touched it.

Harry and I were laughing our heads off at Ron's expression when he finally seemed to return to normal, face as red as his hair.

"Fred and George." He mumbled, poking the duck over to his pile of gifts with some wrapping paper.

I was still giggling when Harry opened his gift from me.

"Did you draw this?" He looked at me in disbelief. I felt myself flushing as I nodded.

"This is amazing!" He looked back down at the sketch of him in the common room, laughing with me, Ron and Hermione in front of the fireplace.

"My turn!" More to stop the infernal blush than anything else, I rummaged under the tree before pulling out a large package with handwriting I didn't recognize. Ron flushed.

"Oh, that's from my mum." He looked down awkwardly as I pulled out a tin of fudge and a light pink sweater. I don't usually wear pink, but this looked like it was handmade so I pulled it on.

Ron had a sweater from his mum as well. Harry was the last of us to put his on and he tried some of the fudge.

"It's very good fudge." He commented as I pulled out another present. There was no indication of who it was from.

"Uh oh..." Harry and Ron moved back and I held it at arms' length to unwrap, ready for the explosion from Fred and George that never came. I brought it closer. Nothing happened. I cautiously reached in and pulled out a silver bracelet that looked like a snake with ruby eyes. I ran my fingers along the smooth metal, feeling the little drawings etched on the inside.

"Hey, a note fell out!" Harry pointed. I picked it up.

_Dear Melody,_

_Your mother gave me this bracelet shortly after you were born with the request that I give it to you on your first christmas at Hogwarts. Assuming I have calculated correctly, that is this Christmas. There are protective runes on this and your mother said that you would be the only one able to take it off._

_Merry Christmas from,_

_Your illegal godfather_

"My illegal godfather?" I wondered out loud as I looked at the bracelet again before slipping it onto my left wrist. Who was my illegal godfather? Ron gave it a curious look before pulling out some more candy from some aunt of his.

Harry was down to his last present.

"Hagrid, Melody, Hermione, your mum and my aunt and uncle." He mused out loud. "I wonder who this is from..." He unwrapped the package and a silvery bundle slithered to the floor. Ron gave a strangled gasp before choking on a chocolate frog.

"Blimey... Harry..." He choked out with streaming eyes. "If that's what I think it is... Go put it on!"

Harry pulled up the bundle which turned out to be a cloak and swung it over his shoulders. I yelped and Ron looked on in awe as Harry's body vanished, leaving his head floating in midair.

"It is!"

"What?" Harry looked puzzled.

"Look down." I whispered. Harry looked down and froze.

"It's an invisibility cloak!" Exclaimed Ron. "I'd give anything for one of those!"

"Hey a note fell out of it!" I pointed. Harry let the cloak fall from his shoulders and bent to pick it up.

"No name." Was all he said.

"Blimey, mate. Who'd give you something like that and not tell you?" Ron was staring at the cloak as a door slammed and the twins came racing down the stairs.

"Merry Christmas ickle Firsties!" They chorused, attacking the tree as Harry hurriedly stowed his cloak out of sight.

I jerked my head to motion Harry over as the twins harassed Ron and tried to wrap him up in discarded paper.

"Look." I said softly, opening my new scrapbook to the picture of my mom being the maid of honour at Harry's parents' wedding. Harry silently traced his parent's figures as they laughed and waved at us.

"It's a whole scrapbook with pictures of my mother." I explained. "It looks like she was very good friends with your parents, because quite a few of the pictures have them in it." Harry nodded.

"Then I'm extremely glad we're carrying on their legacy of friendship." He smiled and I smiled back.

"This bracelet was my mother's." I showed him the note.

"This cloak was my father's." Harry showed me his note.

"What's all this noise about?" Percy interrupted us. Harry and I looked up. The twins had succeeded in tangling Ron in a bunch of garlands and paper. Percy stared down at them disapprovingly, sweater hung over one arm.

"Look! P for Prefect!" They lunged, grabbing Percy's sweater and forcing it over his head.

"Don't want to." Came his muffled voice as his head reemerged, glasses askew.

"Too bad!"  
"We're all wearing ours!"

"Even Harry and Melody got one!"

"And you're not sitting with the prefects today!"

"Christmas is a time for family!"

"Come on Ron!"

"What are you waiting for?"

Without pausing for a reply, the twins frogmarched a struggling Percy out the door. Harry and I quickly untangled Ron before following them down to the Great Hall for the Christmas Feast.

This was the bestest Christmas ever.

**A/N Hello readers of mine!**

**Thank you to those who favourited/followed this story.**

**Thank you to ILoveReadingAndWriting for your review! I'm glad you are enjoying it and I am also looking forward to having Melody grow up.**

**Any guesses as to who Melody's illegal godfather is? Cookies for anyone who gets it right!**


	12. Safety in Discoveries

"I think it was this way."

"My feet are dead with cold."

"Shut up Ron."

"How are you two not human icicles yet?"

"I swear Ron, if I have to tell you to shut up one more time-"

"Here it is!"

Harry's voice cut through our argument as he pushed open the door to an unused classroom. Ron and I followed him in and he pulled off the invisibility cloak before going to stand in front of a large mirror.

I glanced around. We seemed to be alone, but I felt like someone was watching us.

"Can you see them?" Harry sounded excited. I looked in the mirror that was supposed to show our families and saw nobody but Harry.

"No." I said shortly. I was nervous. Would I really be able to see my mom again? And were we really alone in this room? There were plenty of places to hide. This disused class room was full of jumbled desks and other items.

"I can only see you mate." Ron informed him.

"Well, you must need to stand in front of it properly." Harry stepped aside with a wide grin. Ron stepped up and froze, gazing at the image in front of him as if transfixed. I peered over his shoulder. I only saw him.

"Look at me!" He gave a strangled gasp.

"Do you see your family around you?" Demanded Harry.

"No. I-I'm older... I'm Head Boy... Hang on, I'm Quidditch Captain too! I've won the house cup for Griffindor!" He tore his gaze away from the mirror. "Do you think this mirror shows us the future?"

"How can it? My parents are dead."

"Oh, yeah... I forgot."

Cue for an eye-roll.

"Can I see now?" I wanted to see, but I didn't.

"No way! This thing is awesome!" Ron turned again to face the mirror.

"All you see is yourself. I want to see my parents again." Harry sounded annoyed and tried to shove Ron out of the way.

"_Noise? Students hiding?_"

Harry and Ron stepped away from the mirror. Harry grabbed the cloak and swung it over us as Mrs. Norris peered around the corridor.

If she could see us, she would get Filch. I did _not _want to have a run in with him.

What if he was in this room with us, hiding and waiting for the perfect moment to catch us?

If he wasn't here, Mrs. Norris would get him if she could see us.

Could cats see through the cloak?

"_Student smell. Where are they? Master will find student."_

She turned and prowled away.

We were alone in the room?

"This isn't safe. She might be going for Filch." Whispered Harry. Ron and I nodded nervously. We left the room swiftly.

But I hadn't gotten to look into the mirror.

OoOoOoOoOo

Two days later, I was curled up on a couch in front of the fire with a book on Charms. Ron was lounging at a table where he was supposed to be doing his Astronomy essay, but was doodling on the page as he stared out the window.

"Melody?"

"Yeah?" I looked up.

"Have you finished your Astronomy essay?"

"Yes."

"Could you let me have a glance?" I sighed and turned back to my book.

"I'll look over and correct your essay when it's done."

Ron groaned and stared at his parchment and pen as if he was hoping the essay would write itself. Harry came down from the boy's dorm with his book bag, looking tired and disgruntled.

"What's up mate?" Ron turned to him. "You look like you were up late again."

"I was." He admitted. "I went out to the mirror again. Dumbledore found me."

Ron and I stared at Harry in shock.

"You went out to the mirror again?" I stared at him in disbelief. Why hadn't he told me? I wanted to look into it.

"Yeah. He says it just shows us our heart's desire or something like that. He moved it to a new location and doesn't want me to go looking for it again."

"And you didn't get detention or anything?" Ron looked incredulous.

"No."

I turned back to my book. It was so unfair! Harry had gotten to look into it when he almost got caught in the library looking for Nicholas Flamel in the Restricted Section, when he took Ron and me to see it, and last night as well. Ron had gotten to see it, but did they bother letting me see it? Noooo...

A horrible whisper entered my mind.

_Maybe it's because you're not really their friend._

Of course I'm their friend!

_Then why wouldn't they let you have a turn? They just took you along so you wouldn't feel left out._

Ron and Harry wouldn't do that. Would they?

_Why should this school be different from the other one?You never really had any friends there. They just wanted to use you..._

They wouldn't. They just couldn't.

I closed my book with a snap and headed back upstairs.

I refused to think about the orphanage or the school I had been forced to attend. That part of my life was over and I refused to let it affect me.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Melody! You are the most amazing witch ever!"

"Hermione! Can't... breathe..." I choked out as she hugged me in a strangling grip. I should have waited with the boys in the common room, but I had gone to meet Hermione as she returned from her holiday break.

"Come on, we have to tell Harry and Ron!"

"Tell Harry and Ron what?"

My question was lost as I was taken down the hallway and up the staircase to the Fat Lady. Hermione knocked over Dean as she forced her way into the common room and looked around for the boys.

"Harry, Ron, we know who Nicholas Flamel is!" Hermione dragged me over to the corner where the boys were playing chess and sat down beside them.

"We do?"

"Yes!" Harry and Ron looked at her eagerly as she reached into her bag and pulled out the book on Alchemy I had given her for Christmas.

"Nicholas Flamel _is the only known maker of the Philosopher's Stone_!"

My eyes widened.

How had I forgotten? I had read about him in one of the first books I had taken out of the library after the Hogsmeade trip!

"The what?" Harry queried as Ron stared at Hermione blankly.

"Honestly, don't you two read? The stone converts all metals into gold and produces the Elixir of Life!"

"Basically, you would get unlimited life and unlimited money if you had one. " I summarized.

"No wonder Snape's after it. Who wouldn't be?" Ron's eyes took on a dreamy look as he started fantasizing about having his own Philosopher's Stone.

"Why on earth would they hide it in a school?" Harry frowned. I could understand. What was the purpose? It wasn't exactly safe to hide such an important artifact in a place where there were tons of hostages available.

"Well, Hogwarts is one of the most secure places in the Wizarding World. The only other place near to it in safety would be Gringots-"

"-Which has already been broken into." I finished Hermione's sentence. "But then again, just how safe are we? I mean, there's a ton of underage wizards running around the castle and hexing their class rivals. There's the Forbidden Forest which is supposed to have werewolves and Acromantulas and other nasty creatures. There's a three headed dog waiting for some other student to accidentally hide in its corridor and not be lucky enough to get out alive. And how on earth did a troll get in if they're supposed to be really stupid if there are all these great protections? What makes Hogwarts so much safer than any other place?"

The other three fell silent.

Suddenly, everything seemed much less certain.

If four first years could figure out what was being stored in the castle, who knew who else would? We had come face to face with Fluffy once, but as first years we would be prime targets as hostages to force Dumbledore to hand over the stone or sacrifices to distract whatever safeguards there were around the stone.

I had no intention of becoming a hostage or dog food.

"Well then, we should probably get practice defending ourselves and learning jinxes and stuff in case someone does decide to kidnap one of us." I broke the silence.

Ron balked.

"You really think one of us would be taken?" He sounded horrified.

I gave him a withering look.

"We're first years. Griffindors. Griffindor tends to be the house of those who do rash things, which would make us easy targets. And Harry is the Boy-Who-Lived which would automatically put him on the hit list for any evil wizards and we hang around with him quite a bit."

Ron gulped.

Hermione looked terrified.

Harry looked determined.

"Alright then, any ideas as to which spells we should start learning? I have no desire to have trouble continue finding me." Harry looked at me questioningly. I dove for my book bag.

Hurrah for the library.

I had a good collection of Defence Against the Dark Arts spells meant for first years, and others for more advanced.

I pulled out a journal and placed it on the table.

"I copied down a bunch of spells from the library since I only had the books out for two weeks at a time and there are spells preventing me from copying them with another spell."

"Melody, your writing is tiny!" Complained Ron.

"It had to be or I wouldn't have had enough room to write them all down!" I protested. Hermione pulled out some books from her bag.

"I bought extra books from Flourish and Blotts when I went there for my school books." She explained.

"That will give us a good starting point." Harry agreed.

"But how will we know if we're doing them correctly?" Worried Hermione.

"There's a description of each spell beside the incantation. If the spell does what it says it's supposed to, we've done it correctly." At least that was what Turpin had said. But then again, why would I trust something she said?

"We'll have to practice during our free time, but we'll still need to keep on top of our homework." Hermione decided.

"I have Quidditch practice as well." Inserted Harry. "We'll need to plan around that."

Ron looked apprehensive at our enthusiasm.

"You're positive this extra work is necessary?"

"Yes, Ron." Hermione sounded exasperated. "Honestly, it's not like having to do a bit of extra work for once is going to kill you!"

"Look at it this way. Do the work, learn the spells, practice, and we'll be top of the DADA first year students." I was looking forward to this. Now I could learn spells properly without Turpin seeing what my strengths were.

All we would need was somewhere to practice, but I refused to share the Room with them. Maybe some day I would, but not today.

OoOoOoOoOo

Ron and I were intently focused on the game. I slid my castle forward three squares and waited for Ron to complete his next move.

"Don't interrupt me now. I need to concen- what's up?" Harry had just come back from Quidditch practice two weeks after we had started our extra duelling work, drawn and pale. Hermione looked up from her book and Ron and I temporarily abandoned our match.

"Wood's just told us Snape's refereeing the next game." Harry's voice shook.

No.

He couldn't.

"Don't play." Hermione said immediately.

"Say you're ill." Urged Ron.

"Pretend to break your leg." I suggested.

"Really break your leg!" Ron's eyes lit up and I smacked him. As if Harry would want his leg broken!

"I can't. We don't have a reserve seeker. If I don't play the team can't play."

"We'll bring our wands to the stands and get good seats to attack Snape if he tries anything." I looked him in the eye.

"We'll be there for you Harry."

He smiled weakly.

"It will be good practice for the three of us anyways." Hermione's eyes glowed as she reached for her bag.

"We can decide which spells will be best for hitting someone on a broom. Distractions and that stuff."

"Come on, let's go practice spells now!" I jumped up.

Duelling would help distract Harry.

Worrying about the match would only wear him out and he would need his wits about him if Snape tried to kill him again. Harry went up to change his robes and Hermione went up to the dormitory to get her wand. Ron packed away the chessmen.

"Honestly, Hermione." I said as she came bounding back down the stairs. "You should keep your wand on you at all times. Who knows when someone will attack you?"

A sudden tingling in the middle of my back alerted me to a spell. I ducked and a jet of yellow light flew over my head. I spun around, wand at the ready to see one of the Weasley twins with his wand held loosely in his hand.

"Like that you mean?" He laughed.

"Yep!"

Harry reentered the room.

"Are we good to go?"

"Should be."

The four of us left the common room and walked down the hallway to a large painting of a herd of pegasi which I thought were Abraxans, but as I had never seen any pegasi, let alone Abraxans, I didn't know for sure.

"Sugar cubes." Ron said the password and the painting swung inwards to reveal a large room with several dummies at the end.

We had discovered this place when Ron had knocked me into the painting, and I had apologized to the horses, in English of course. Hermione had asked me if horses actually liked sugar cubes. She had read that in some book, but at the mention of the treat the painting had opened to reveal our new duelling place.

A bit of tidying up, and we could practice on the dust covered dummies.

"So, what spells should we concentrate on today?" Harry asked me.

I had become the unofficial leader of the duelling group thanks to my time spent learning spells and my bracelet. The bracelet had some sort of spell on it that heightened my awareness of what spells were headed my way, giving a tingling feeling to wherever they were headed. I was able to dodge them easily most of the time.

"Why not _flipendo _and _rictumsempra_?"

Nods of agreement, and we moved apart to make sure we didn't hit each other with our spells.

I set my dummy to 'level 2' before moving into the traditional duelling position. It sprang to life and we bowed to each other.

"_Flipendo!"_I shot of my light blue spell towards the dummy. A transparent shield bloomed in front of it, blocking my spell and sending it shooting back towards me. I dodged and fired again, putting more energy into the spell. The goal was to smash the shield and hit the dummy. Once I hit it, the dummy would return fire with that spell and I would dodge. It would use that spell and any others that hit it.

After about 45 minutes I called a halt. Now was the more dangerous part. Harry and Ron faced each other in the centre of the room and bowed. Their goal: defeat the other using any spell they knew. Hermione and I were on standby with counter-spells in case things got out of hand.

Five minutes later, Ron was on the floor laughing and Harry was triumphant. The two of them cleared the floor and Hermione and I faced off.

"_Flipendo!"_ Hermione shot spell after spell at me while I merely dodged them. She got frustrated and started shooting more randomly, allowing me to get past her guard. A well aimed body-bind and she was on the floor.

Hermione accepted her defeat icily and Harry and I duelled each other. Some times he would shoot spells in such rapid succession aiming in different areas that I couldn't evade them all. Other times, my dodging worked and I was successful. Our success rates were about equal. Today, Harry was in top form. I managed to put up a good fight for about ten minutes before I jumped out of the way of a leg locker curse into the path of a tickling jinx and I was on the floor laughing hysterically.

"Honestly, I don't get how you can be so sensitive to that jinx." Ron was looking at me weirdly. Spells did more damage to me than they did to normal people. Probably something to do with my 'talent'.

"Good match, though." Harry and I shook hands. I nodded.

"You're getting better at hitting me." He grinned.

"You're predictable. You always jump the same way." I did? I honestly hadn't noticed.

"It's getting late." Hermione checked her watch. "Curfew's in fifteen minutes." We tidied up and headed back to the common room.

"I'm going to play tomorrow." Harry said suddenly. "If I don't, it will just show Snape I'm afraid of him."

"As long as we're not wiping you off the field." Hermione muttered under her breath before heading off to bed. I wasn't tired, so I decided to complete my transfiguration homework.

Hermione and I were now vying for position of top student of the year. She was head of the class in Astronomy, History of Magic, and Herbology. I was head in Transfiguration, Potions, and DADA. We were currently fighting for top spot in Charms. Hermione was unrivalled in History of Magic, but I was a fairly close second in Astronomy. Neville was hot on Hermione's heels in Herbology. Hermione was a distant second to me in Transfiguration and DADA.

I was practically guaranteed the top grade in those subjects.

My Potions rival was none other than Draco Malfoy. I counted him as a fairly distant rival. I mean, he's a Slytherin so Snape favours him. I'm a Griffindor, so I actually have to work to earn my grade.

Harry was third in the year for DADA and was quite good in charms. Ron was fairly decent overall. Blaise was talented in Charms and Potions. Turpin's strong points were History of Magic and DADA.

Overall, I was pleased with my grades.

The hat had said I lacked the ambition for Slytherin.

Now I had something to work for, and I was not going to stop short of being the best. Hermione refused to come in second, so I was learning more than I would have if I had been a year ahead of or behind her.

Woe to him who decides to kidnap one of my friends as hostage.

OoOoOoOoOo

"Harry! Where were you?"

"We won Harry! I gave Malfoy a black eye and Melody and Neville took on Crabbe and Goyle! Neville's still in the hospital wing, but Madam Pomfrey says he'll be fine. Talk about showing Slytherin!"

"What happened?" I came up behind Ron and Hermione, euphoric mood dissipating as I took in Harry's demeanour, much to serious for someone who had just put us in the lead for winning the house cup by catching the Snitch in under five minutes.

"I need to talk to you guys. Let's go to the room now." Griffindor House was too busy celebrating its win to notice the four of us leave.

"What is it?" I demanded as soon as the portrait had closed behind us.

"Okay, so I was putting my broom away when I saw Snape heading off into the forest."  
"The forest?" Gasped Hermione. "But that's out of bounds!"

"I followed him. He went to a clearing and started threatening Quirrel. He said something about needing to know about Quirrel's bit of 'hocus-pocus' and said he'd give Quirrel some time to think about where his loyalties lie. It _is _the Philosopher's Stone they're hiding in the school."

"So the stone is only safe as long as Quirrel stands up to Snape?" I was horrified. If Snape knew how to get past everything but Quirrel's protection...

"It'll be gone by next Tuesday." Ron finished my thought. Hermione looked terrified.

"What do we do?" Harry looked at me expectantly. Hold it, who put me in charge?

"We tell a teacher. That's what we should have done in the first place." Hermione sounded shaky.

"No." Harry and I said at the same time.

"If we tell a teacher, then we'll have to tell about Fluffy and we're not supposed to know about him in the first place." I thought out loud.

"We'd get Hagrid into trouble too for letting it slip about Flamel and telling us about Fluffy." Harry looked very serious.

"Then what _do _we do?" Asked Ron.

"I guess we wait." I slumped. "That's all we can do. That and keeping an eye on Snape as much as possible."

Hermione still didn't look convinced, but Ron seemed relieved that we wouldn't actually be doing any extra work.

The four of us went back to the common room with plans to raid the library the next day for any information that might help us keep track of Snape. Harry and Ron joined in the celebrations and Hermione went up to our dorm. I sat in a corner trying to think of some magical means of keeping track of Snape.

"Well, now..."

"What have we here?"

"A little Griffindor..."

"All on her own..."

"Thinking..."

"When she should be celebrating..."

"And enjoying the party!"

The Terrible Two had arrived.

"Do either of you know any ways of keeping track of someone magically?"

Who knew? Maybe their pranking skills could come in handy.

They exchanged a startled glance.

"Why Gred..."

"Why Forge..."

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"I think I am."

They turned back to me with very stern expressions.

"You are far to young..."

"To go stalking males..."

"No matter how attractive you find them..."

"And should wait..."  
"At least a few more years..."

"Before searching..."

"For any boyfriends."

BOYFRIENDS?!

How... No... They... Snape? What...

"I-I'm, I mean, no. Just no. I don't..." I spluttered. Me. Stalking Snape. Thinking of Snape... AS A BOYFRIEND? That was just... wrong. On so many levels.

"Then what?" They chorused together.

"Harry, Ron, Hermione and I want to keep an eye on... someone we think is up to something." My face was burning as I tried to make sense of everything. How the Orange did they get to thinking I was looking for a boyfriend?

'Snape' and 'boyfriend' were incompatible in the realm of thoughts and words.

"Ahh..."

"You could use tracking charms."

"Tracking charms?"

Good.

We were back into safe territory.

I went up after Hermione and told her about the twins' suggestion.

But not about Snape.

There are some things that you just don't talk about.

**Thank you to those who have favourited or followed me. **

**Thank you to Bronzelove and Fantasyluver714. And no, Sirius is not her illegal godfather. Good guess though!**

**Shadow**


	13. Dark Dragons

We were back in the library, looking up new spells to practice and completing our homework.

"Hi Hagrid! What are you doing here?" I looked up to see Hagrid's massive form skulking between the shelves.

"Oh, nuthin'. Jest lookin' up this and that." He waved an airy hand around.

I was tempted to roll my eyes. Hagrid was nice, but he was the most obvious liar in the world.

"And what're you lot doin' in here?" He suddenly looked suspicious. "Yer not still lookin' fer Nicholas Flamel are yeh?"

"Oh, we found out about him ages ago." Ron said nonchalantly. "We know what the dog's guarding. It's the Philoso-"

"SHHH!" Hagrid looked alarmed. "Not so loud! People aren't supposed to know about the you-know-what."

"Why is the wizarding world so fond of hyphens?" I wondered out loud. Harry laughed and Hermione shook her head. Ron and Hagrid looked perplexed.

"Hyphens?"

"Never mind. But Hagrid," I turned to the groundskeeper, "we were wondering what else you could tell us about the... thingy."

"Can't tell ye nuthin." Hagrid said flatly. "You lot know more than you should already, and I don't aim ter tell ye anythin' more."

"But Hagrid," I tried to look wide eyed and innocent, "it is being held in the school isn't it? What if someone were to kidnap one of us and use us as bait to get past Fluffy?" I attempted to sound scared. "If Fluffy is the only thing guarding _it _wouldn't it be-"

"He's not. There's also-" Hagrid started saying before checking himself. "Oh, alrigh', come on down ter me hut tonigh' an' we'll talk." He turned and left the library.

"What was he looking up?" Hermione wondered. "Do you think it had something to do with the stone?"

"I'll go check." Ron got up and disappeared behind the shelves before coming back with an armful of books and spreading them on the table.

"_Dragons_. Hagrid was looking up information on dragons."

I looked at the books in interest. What would it be like to be a dragon?

"Why is he looking at these? Do you think he has one?" Hermione looked up curiously. Ron shook his head.

"Dragon breeding was outlawed ages ago. They're almost impossible to tame, and it would be really hard to keep the muggles from noticing us if we kept them in our backyards. You should see some of the burns Charlie's gotten off of the dragons at the reserve."

"There's a dragon reserve?" Harry looked startled.

"Yeah. And the wizards who work there have a hard time keeping them out of sight of the muggles. Have to do memory charms to make the muggles forget what they've seen."

"Then what's Hagrid up to?" I asked the answerless question.

"I guess we'll see tonight." Ron shrugged.

"But how are we supposed to sneak out after curfew?" Hermione fretted.

"My dad's cloak should cover the four of us." Harry said absently as he turned back to his potions essay.

"Harry, you do remember that Snape told us in the very first lesson that wolfsbane and aconite are the same plant, right?" I raised an eyebrow as he looked at me and shuddered.

"Don't do that Melody. You look like Snape when you have that expression."

I pulled a face and then remembered.

"Speaking of Snape," I pulled out a fifth year charms book from my bag, "I found a way to follow him without being there."  
"Really?" Hermione perked up. I nodded.

"Tracking charm. Fred suggested it." I explained as I flipped open to the correct page and showed it to them.

"Excellent. How soon can you perform it?" Ron looked at me eagerly.

Wait, what?

"Me?" I felt flustered. That would really be like me stalking Snape. "Actually, I think Hermione would be better at it." Harry stared at me in confusion.

"And you don't want to do it because..."

I flushed.

"I just don't."

I got up and left the book behind, walking out of the library and down the hallway and hoping I knew where I was going.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

That evening, Hermione broke a school rule on purpose for the first time.

She snuck out under the cloak with me, Harry and Ron.

We hurried across the lawn, over to where Hagrid's hut stood with its curtains closed, took of the cloak and knocked on the door.

Hagrid opened it a crack, peering out.

"Oh, it's you." He opened it wider to allow us to enter before closing it tightly again. The fire was roaring and the windows were shut tightly, so it was boiling inside.

"What d'ye want?"

"We wanted to know what's guarding the stone besides Fluffy." Harry got straight to the point. Hagrid looked stubborn.

"Nuthin' doin'. You lot already know more than's good fer yeh."

"We weren't wondering about the enchantments themselves, we were actually just wondering who Dumbledore would trust as much as _you _to guard such an important item."

Hagrid turned red behind his tangle of beard at Hermione's warm, flattering tone. Harry, Ron and I beamed at her. She was brilliant!

"Well, I suppose it couldn't hurt to tell yeh that..." Hagrid mumbled.

"Let's see... I gave Fluffy, and then a group o' the teachers did enchantments. Quirrel, McGonagall, Sprout, Flitwick, Dumbledore did somethin' himself o' course... let's see... I know I'm forgetting one... Oh, yeah! Snape did something to."  
"_Snape_?!" The four of us turned to each other in horror. If Snape had been one of the ones to set the traps, then he would have had an easy time learning what the other enchantments were. All except for Quirrel's and...

"Yeah, Snape. You lot still not goin' on about him are yeh? He's not going to steal the stone if he helped to protect it."

"What about Fluffy? You wouldn't tell anyone how to get past him would you?" I asked worriedly.

"Not a soul but me'n Dumbledore know." Hagrid crossed his arms proudly.

"Can't we have a window open in here?" Ron cut in. "I'm boiling."

"Ah, well, uh... nope." Hagrid stole a look towards the fireplace. The four of us followed his gaze.

No bloody way.

"Hagrid..." Harry said slowly, as if afraid of the answer. "Is that what I think it is?"

"Where did you get it?" Ron moved in for a closer look. "That must have cost you a fortune."

"Won it last night in a game o' cards with a stranger down in the pub. He seemed mighty glad to get rid of it."

"Hagrid, exactly what are you planning to do with it?" Hermione looked extremely uneasy.

"Goin' ter raise it o' course. Bin gettin' books out o' the library an' readin up on them. That there's a Norwegian Ridgeback, mighty rare."

A sudden cracking noise split through the air from the illegal dragon's egg in the fireplace.

_Out... Out... Find mother... Out..._

"It's hatching." Hagrid's eyes were lit up in ecstasy and he pulled on a pair of oven mitts, tenderly placing the egg in the middle of the table.

_Air... Soon... Out... Mother..._

All five of us stared at the egg as if hypnotized while the cracks in the shell widened and pieces broke off.

_OUT!_

The small scaly creature tumbled onto the table.

All of a sudden I decided I didn't want to be a dragon.

The baby was covered in slime and looked around before coughing and shooting out a small jet of fire from its nostrils.

"Isn' he beautiful?" Hagrid stared at the hatchling in rapture.

"Exactly how big do dragons get?" Harry asked tentatively.

"I'm gonna call him Norbert." Hagrid wasn't even listening anymore.

Norbert indeed.

If Hagrid had actually read the books he would have realized that the large size of the dragon coupled with the extra long wingspan and the fact that it had already breathed fire proved that he was a she.

"You do realize you live in a wooden house, right?" I looked up in concern. Hagrid was about to reply when his face suddenly turned pale and he stared at the window.

Right at a crack in the curtains was a pale face staring back.

It blinked before vanishing.

Draco Malfoy had seen the dragon.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Charlie!" Harry suddenly snapped up straight and turned to Ron.

"You're loosing it too mate." Ron looked alarmed.

"No, your brother Charlie. He's the Dragon Tamer. We can send Norbert to him!"  
"Brilliant Harry!"

Finally, after an awful week of being on tenterhooks around Malfoy, going down to the hut to help Hagrid feed the dragon, and trying to work ahead on schoolwork we had found a way to get rid of the pest.

It was growing at an alarming rate, and seemed to have adopted me as her mother. Hagrid found it amusing when the dragon would squeal hello and charge over to see me whenever it was my turn to help feed.

It took a lot of work not to talk back in dragon to it. The orphanage I had been at before had had a strict 'no pets allowed' policy, and I had never had a pet before it since mom and I had moved around quite a bit. Now with animals all around me, I was having a hard time not showing that I could understand them and speak to them. It was a good thing that I was spending most of my time with two amazingly verbal talkers in the forms of Ron and Hermione. They were always arguing about something.

Ron pulled out a piece of parchment and began to compose a letter to Charlie when Tasha swooped in to the window with a letter for me from AJ. Tasha never showed up at breakfast with the other owls. She had learned to draw more attention to herself by coming in alone. I took out some bacon I had purposely saved for her from breakfast and moved my cup of water closer for her to drink before opening my letter.

_Wotcher Melody!_

_I've been accepted into the auror training academy! I start training this summer. You will not believe what I found out. _

_I was about to be tested when one auror actually asked me if I was Tonks. I was certainly surprised to hear that he knew my name. Well, he said that he had heard great things about me already and that I was automatically accepted since I had been vouched for by one of the more respected aurors._

_And guess who that auror was?_

_Your mother recommended me to them while I was still at Hogwarts! She's quite the legend here. Now I have a pretty high standard to live up to. If you ever wanted to be an auror, you'd have a spot in training here almost guaranteed._

_I hope you do, 'cause then I'll be able to whip you in a duel. I beat Crabapple and Apple Juice already, and I will beat you too!  
AJ_

I smirked.

Beat me in a duel indeed!

I was preparing for that even now.

"Done!" Ron signed his name with a flourish. "Can we use Tasha to send this?"

"Oh, sorry." I shook my head. "I'm going to need her to reply to AJ."

"You can use Hedwig." Harry offered.

"Great!" Ron left the common room, letter in hand.

"Who's AJ?" Hermione asked curiously.

"Apples Junior. You know that Apple Ritual I always use? Well, my mom made it up. Her nickname was Apples, then when she taught it to Tonks, Tonks became Apples Junior, shortened to AJ. Then she taught Crabapple and Crabapple taught Apple Juice."

"Ah." Hermione nodded and turned back to her homework. I pulled out a fresh piece of parchment and began to write my reply.

The rest of the Griffindors were still in high spirits over our Quidditch win. I was happy we had won of course, but dragging on the celebrations was not something I liked to do. There was too much other stuff to do. Hermione was starting to pull ahead in Charms and I had to pass her.

"Sent!"

Ron returned and plonked down beside Hermione.

"Good. Let's just hope he replies soon." Harry said fervently.

Hermione and I nodded in agreement. I rolled up my reply to AJ and attached it to Tasha's outstretched leg.

"I'm going to the library for a bit." I stood up and left the common room. I had finally learned to navigate between the library and the common room, but I still hadn't managed to memorize my way between classes without help.

Honestly, how lame is that?

I was about to turn the corner and head down a deserted hallway when something weird happened.

The walls began to shift and distort. I paused. What was going on?

As they lost their form, they started shimmering and morphing into... a picture of some sorts.

I watched in shock as Harry appeared; he was in a dark forest on his knees with his hands clutching his forehead in obvious pain. A black figure was gliding towards him as he knelt, helpless while another figure was lying beside him, twitching.

The room vanished and he was stumbling into an unfamiliar room that had giant figures towering over him with me right behind him... and I looked awful. Harry ran back and grabbed me, pulling me forward. A shadowed figure followed behind, casting curses at us.

Harry was sitting on a bed with a house elf wringing its ragged looking towel it used for clothes in front of him. I had never seen the elf before, but it looked very concerned and was saying something to Harry...

"Melody!"

I started and spun around to see Turpin heading towards me. The walls were back to normal.

"What?" I snapped.

"Oh, sorry." She stopped, looking uncertain. "You just looked... spaced out for a while and I couldn't get any feelings from you."

I felt irritated and scared. What on earth had just happened? Turpin had just interrupted something that could have been very important.

"Well sorree for not projecting my every emotion." I turned and stalked away, confused and scared.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Harry, Hermione and I lugged the crate up towards the Astronomy tower.

Dragonetta was finally departing.

Charlie had written back to Ron, saying that some friends of his could take the dragon with them if we could get her to the top of the tower for midnight. Ron was not part of the extraction as he had been bitten by the fiend and was currently lying in the hospital wing with a swollen hand.

A lamp flared.

The three of us shrunk into the shadows as Professor McGonagall stalked by, holding Malfoy by the ear.

"Detention!" She shouted. "And twenty points from Slytherin. How dare you-"  
"Professor! You don't understand! Harry Potter's got a dragon and he's coming here with it any minute."

Served the stupid Tomato right for reading other people's private mail. He didn't know we had Harry's invisibility cloak on. Charlie hadn't asked us to wear it in his letter. Charlie didn't even know we had one and Harry intended to keep it that way.

Malfoy was led away and it was smooth sailing until we reached the top of the tower. Hermione threw off the cloak and started dancing.

"Malfoy's got detention. I could sing!"

Harry laughed. "Don't." He advised her.

The three of us stood there in the darkness, still chuckling about Malfoy's demise. Four broomsticks swooped down and four men got off, introducing themselves and eager to get going with Dragonetta. They buckled her into a harness that hung between two of the brooms and took off.

Finally...

No more dragon.

We could relax.

All the danger was past.

"Well now, what have we here?" Hermione, Harry and I spun around in horror to see Filch leering at us. We had forgotten the cloak at the top of the Astronomy tower.

"Little first year trouble makers! Hahah! Keep going now, but not to where you intended. Oh, no! You're going to get it! Maybe they'll finally let me string you up by your thumbs!" Filch was herding us towards an empty classroom.

He couldn't do any of that to us. He couldn't. He couldn't. He couldn't!

Filch gave an awful smile as he shut the door behind us.

None of us looked at each other.

I thought of the picture of my mom hidden away in my dorm with the scrapbook. She would be so ashamed of me. I had been such a pomegranate.

The door burst open and Professor McGonagall swooped in with Neville in tow.

"Harry! Malfoy said he was going to get you!" Neville couldn't contain himself when he saw us. "He said you had a dra-"

Harry shook his head furiously, but Professor McGonagall looked more dangerous than any Dragonetta.

"Filch says you three were on top of the Astronomy tower. It's one in the morning. _Explain yourselves._"

That was the first time both Hermione and I had failed to answer a question as I looked down at my feet, face burning in shame.

Professor McGonagall came to the conclusion that we had been playing a prank on Malfoy and docked us fifty points.

Each.

How the Orange were we supposed to explain this to the rest of the Griffindors?

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Turpin was already in the Room when I arrived two days later.

It had been an awful two days and I was ready to break down.

Harry, Hermione, Neville and I had been ostracized by the rest of the Griffindors. We had taken away any chance of receiving the house cup this year and Slytherin looked like they were set to win without any competition.

"Hi Melody." Turpin's voice was frosty. She and the rest of the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs were shunning the four of us since they wanted to see Slytherin beaten.

"Hi."

"What on earth possessed you to go pulling a stunt like that?" She stood up. "Everyone is saying you were trying to trick Malfoy, but what really happened?"  
"None of your business." I snapped viciously. What gave her the right to poke and pry into other people's affairs?

"Seriously Melody, you've given Slytherin the house cup again, you might as well tell me why. Aren't friends supposed to share things with their other friends?"

"Since when are we friends?" I snarled, snapping inside as I couldn't hold back any longer. "Why on earth would I want to be friends with someone I can't trust? Why would I want to be friends with someone who does nothing but poke and pry into things that aren't any of their business and tries to manipulate anyone they come into contact with?"

"I do not!" She shouted back. "I honestly thought you were different! I honestly thought you of all people would be able to look past someone's abilities and judge them for who they really are! I actually thought you could be a friend!" She was in tears by now.

"Oh, well sorry to disappoint!" I shrieked at her. How dare she try and lay the blame on me! "Are you really that desperate that you have to try to guilt trip people into liking you? Yes, I messed up. I'm just human, so stop treating me like I'm this insensitive person who's mistreating you when you've shown them nothing but kindness! Why don't you go whining to Blaise? I'm sure he can be easily manipulated!"

The door opened and Blaise walked in, freezing in mid-step as he looked from one of us to the other.

"Hey guys! Oh, and Melody." He grinned. "I've been told to pass along the thanks of Slytherin house. We look forward to receiving the cup again."

"Well woop-de-do for the slimy snakes!" I snarled furiously. "Why don't you celebrate with Turpin? I've decided to go and spend time doing things that are actually _useful _with my real friends and not those who try to run my life!" I spat as I thundered past him, slamming the door behind me.

I definitely didn't need either of those two in my life.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

A week later, Harry, Hermione, Neville and I received notes with instructions for our detentions.

Hurrah...

We had to meet none other than Filch in the entrance hall at eleven that evening.

Even bigger hurrah...

Harry looked like he expected me or Hermione to complain.

"We deserve it." I said softly, looking away from him. How could I let my best friend get into trouble like that?

Classes seemed to trickle by as time slowed to allow as many people as possible to glare at the infamous four. Ron was the only one who hadn't been part of the point loosing who stood by us.

"They'll forget it soon enough." He informed us bracingly that evening. "I mean, look at Fred and George! They've lost tons of points for Griffindor before but everyone still likes them."  
"Have they ever lost two hundred points in one go?" I asked sarcastically.

"Well, no, but-"  
"There you go." I turned my back on him and forced myself to concentrate on the Charms book. I should have expected to have the students all turn on me sooner or later.

Just like my old school.

Books were my only escape.

I may not have had the thirst for learning that a Ravenclaw had, but I was still a determined worker. When things went wrong, I hit the books to escape from life.

"We should get going." Hermione looked at her watch. It was twenty to eleven. I put my books aside and got up, following Harry and Hermione down the stairs with Neville in tow.

Filch was already waiting for us, looking delighted.

What were we going to have to do?

Then I saw Malfoy standing beside Filch. I had forgotten he got detention too.

We strode out across the lawns, and as we moved along I felt a thrill of foreboding. This wasn't going to end well.

"Is that you Filch? Hurry up, I want to get started!"

We were having detention with Hagrid?

That wouldn't be so bad.

"Think you're getting off easy?" Filch wheezed. "It's the forest you're going into and I doubt you'll come out intact.

I take that back.

"We can't go in there." Malfoy looked alarmed. "There's all sorts of things in there. Vampires and werewolves I've heard." Neville gave a moan of fright.

"Should've thought of that before you broke the rules then."

I was really having a bad feeling about this detention. I didn't want to go into that forest. There was something in there that shouldn't be.

Something evil.

I didn't know how I knew that.

Hagrid led us into the forest and down a trail until it split. The light of one of the lanterns shone on something silvery on the ground.

"See that? That's unicorn blood."

_Unicorn blood?_

What the orange were we doing in a forest with something that could injure or kill a unicorn?

"So," I dragged my thoughts back to the present and to Hagrid. "Me'n Harry an' Hermione'll go one way an' Draco, Melody, Fang an' Neville'll go the other. If you find the unicorn send up green sparks. If you run inter trouble send up red sparks. Get out your wands now an' practice."

The pit of doom that had settled in my stomach was not going anywhere. Something was wrong with the forest. Something bad was going to happen.

I took a deep breath, forcing myself not to bolt.

I had broken the rules and been caught, I would serve detention.

Even though I knew it was not going to end well.

I squared my shoulders and started down the left path, Malfoy and Neville following behind with Fang. My ears were strained and I stepped as lightly and cautiously as I could, wand at the ready for the trouble I knew was going to happen.

The forest was too quiet.

"AAUGH!"

My red sparks flew into the air as I whipped around, aiming my hex directly at whatever had just attacked Neville.

Malfoy yelled as it hit him in the stomach.

"WHAT THE ORANGE DID YOU DO?!" I shrieked at him. Fang was on the ground, whimpering. Neville was shaking as he stared at Malfoy.

"It was just a joke!" Malfoy groaned, doubled over in pain at the stinging hex.

"What's goin' on?" We turned as Hagrid crashed through the trees towards us.

"He-he snuck up b-behind me a-and grabbed me." Neville explained. Hagrid looked furious.

"Come on." He jerked his head angrily. The three of us followed behind until we returned to the path where Hagrid had left Harry and Hermione on their own, unguarded.

"Are you alright?" Harry looked relieved to see us safe and sound.

"We're goin' ter change up the groups now. Neville's stayin' with me'n Hermione an' Harry's goin' ter go with Melody an' this idiot." Hagrid jerked his thumb at Malfoy.

We set off again.

I felt the danger even more now that Harry was with us.

We walked in silence, wands ready for what lay ahead.

"Wait." Harry hissed, throwing out his arm to stop the rest of us from continuing.

The unicorn was lying on its side in the clearing, obviously dead. I was about to send up the green sparks when we heard a slithering sound and a figure shrouded in black snaked its way towards the unicorn. It lowered its head and began to drink the blood.

Draco screamed and bolted, Fang hard on his heels.

"Come on Harry!" I grabbed his arm as the figure raised its head. Harry let out a cry of pain, dropping his wand and clutching at his scar. The figure began to glide towards us.

"_Flipendo!"_ I shot the jinx at it as I stepped in front of Harry, legs shaking. He was in pain and I would not desert him. The figure merely slid aside, allowing the jinx to pass by before shooting a curse towards me.

I couldn't move.

It was going to hit Harry if I did.

I braced myself, but was unprepared for what hit me.

_Pain._

_Absolute, utter pain._

_Pain racking through my bones while my blood was on fire._

_I was jerking on the ground, screaming in pain._

_A figure jumped over me, but the pain prevented me from doing anything._

"Melody." I shakily looked up at the person rasping my name.

"Melody!" Harry was grabbing my shoulders. I grabbed him.

He had to be alright.

He pulled me to my feet, but I shook so much I almost fell again.

"You are the Potter boy." I looked up to see a palomino centaur looking at us. "It is not safe for you or your friend here. Can you ride? It will be quicker this way." The centaur lowered himself onto his front legs and Harry and I clambered on.

I couldn't stop trembling.

Thundering hooves entered the clearing.

"Firenze! What are you doing? You have two humans on your back! Do you have no shame? Are you a common mule?"

Another centaur, black and wild looking was bellowing at our saviour.

"Do you not realize who this is? This is the Potter boy! It is not safe for him here."

"I'm sure Firenze thought he was acting for the best." The black centaur's companion pawed the ground nervously.

"What have you been telling him Firenze? Do you not remember we are sworn not to set ourselves against the heavens? Have you not read the signs?"

Firenze reared in anger and I clutched Harry around the waist to keep from falling off.

"Do you not see that unicorn there? Do you not realize why it was killed? I set myself against what is lurking in the forest. Yes, even alongside humans if I must!" Firenze wheeled and galloped away.

I didn't let go of Harry.

I just buried my head in his back.

I didn't care about what Firenze was saying about unicorn blood. I just wanted to get out of the forest.

"Harry! Melody! Are you alright?"

Hermione was running towards us with Neville, Fang, Malfoy and Hagrid.

"This is where I leave you." Firenze murmured and Harry and I slid off of his back. "Good luck Harry Potter. The stars have been read wrongly before, and I hope this is one of those times."

"The unicorn's dead Hagrid." Harry sounded weird. "It's in the clearing back there."

After Hagrid examined the unicorn he took us back to the castle. None of us were talking. Malfoy went off in a hurry to get back to the Slytherin dorms and we Griffindors went back to the tower. Neville headed straight upstairs while Harry, Hermione, and I stopped to tell Ron what had happened. Ron had been waiting for us the whole time, but had fallen asleep in his chair.

I just sat quietly and let Harry tell the story of what had happened to us.

When the walls had gone weird, I had seen an image of what had just happened to us before it happened. If that 'vision' had come true, would the other ones?

**A/N Thank you Bronzelove and Pinat11 for your kind reviews! Thank you to those who have either favourited or followed this story. **

**I have two more chapters written. The next will be posted after I get at least one review for this story, the other when I get a review for Into Darkness.**

**Shadow**


	14. Traps of Torture

"You may put down your quills."

A cheer erupted from the first years as Binns ended our last exam. I felt confident that I would ace it, but that Hermione would do better than I did.

No one would beat Hermione in History, but I had managed to beat her in Charms.

The two of us had asked Flitwick what our scores were since Hermione couldn't take the tension of having to wait. She had gotten 112% while I had gotten 115%.

I had mastered a tracking charm, but Hermione hadn't so we hadn't managed to keep tabs on Snape that way because I downright refused to perform it on him.

"That went easier than I expected." Hermione said brightly as we left the castle and went to sit by the lake.

"Hermione, we've been over this already." Ron groaned dramatically. "We've got enough nerves already without having to go over the tests again."

Harry was rubbing his scar with a frown as we sat down.

"Still hurting?" I was concerned. Ever since the forest incident, Harry's scar had been throbbing. He had confided to me that he was having nightmares about the figure.

I had been too.

They were all the same, with Firenze standing by and watching me being tortured with that awful spell. I pleaded for help but he kept saying the stars had to be obeyed.

"I wish I knew what it means!" Harry burst out angrily. "It's never happened before."

Hermione and Ron exchanged a tired glance.

They wouldn't have been so calm if they had seen that thing in the forest.

I began to get a feeling that something was coming closer. I couldn't tell if it was good or bad, but it was coming closer... and closer...

Harry stood up abruptly.

"Come on." His voice was extremely serious and his face was white. "We need to go see Hagrid right away."

He turned and started running towards Hagrid's hut with us following behind. As I ran, I felt like we were running right towards... whatever it was.

"What is it Harry?" Hermione panted.

"Don't you think it's odd that Hagrid's wanted a dragon's egg more than anything else and that a stranger just happened to be carrying one with him when they're illegal? Lucky they found Hagrid, don't you think?"  
"What?" Hermione was bewildered. I just shrugged and kept on running.

I trusted Harry and his judgement. If he said this was important, it was.

"Hello there!" Hagrid looked up cheerily from where he was shelling beans. "Exams all finished? Got time fer a drink?"

"Yes, ple-"  
"No, sorry Hagrid we've got to ask you something important." Harry cut Ron off.

The thing was about to arrive. I looked around, but there was nothing there.

"You know that night you won Norbert? The stranger you won it from, what did he look like?"

"I dunno. He didn' take his hood off." The four of us exchanged stunned looks. Why not? "It's not tha' weird. He mighta been a dragon dealer fer all I know. Yeh get a lotta weird folk down at the Hog's Head."

"Did you mention Hogwarts at all?" Harry sat down beside Hagrid, looking at him desperately.

It clicked.

Whatever was arriving was vital information. A piece of a puzzle.

"Well, yeah... It mighta come up." Hagrid frowned. "Yeah, he said he had a dragon's egg an' we could play cards for it if we liked... But he had ter be sure I could take care o' one first. It's hard ter remember... he kept buyin' me drinks... Yeah, I told him that after Fluffy a dragon would be a piece o' cake."  
"And did he- did he seem interested in Fluffy?" Harry's hands were clenched tightly.

Then it hit me.

"Well yeah, I mean, how many three headed dogs d'you meet in a lifetime? I tol' him all yeh gotta do is play a piece o' music an he'll go straight off ter sleep..." Hagrid trailed away. "Wait, ferget I told yeh tha'."

The four of us dashed back to the school.

"It was either Snape or Voldemort under that hood." Harry whispered. "And Hagrid's told him what he needs to do to get by Fluffy."

"What should we do?" Ron gasped, panting for breath as we came to a halt inside one of the hallways.

"Tell a teacher." Hermione and I looked at each other when we said the same thing at the same time.

"We need to tell Dumbledore, to warn him." I elaborated.

"Where's his office?" Harry looked around as if he was expecting to see a sign pointing in the right direction.

"What are you four doing inside?" Professor McGonagall's sharp voice cut through our conversation.

"We want to see Professor Dumbledore." Hermione turned and faced her bravely.

"See Professor Dumbledore?" Professor McGonagall repeated suspiciously. "And why would you want to do that?"

"It's a kind of a secret." Harry told her. Her nostrils flared.

"Professor Dumbledore is a very busy man with many demands on his time. He left for the Ministry of Magic not ten minutes ago."

"He's gone?" I gasped in horror. McGonagall turned to face me.

"You have something to tell him that is of more importance than the Ministry of Magic?" She sounded sceptical.

"Look, Professor, it's about the Philosopher's Stone." Harry lost all patience and McGonagall dropped her armful of books in shock.

"What? How..." She spluttered in shock.

"Professor, we know that Sn- that someone is after the stone and they're going to be going after it tonight!" We were desperate. Harry had taken her into our confidentiality and we had to trust that she could do something about it.

"I don't know how you found out about the Stone, but rest assured it is well protected. No one is going to get it." Professor McGonagall waved her wand and her books flew back into her hands. She turned and walked away after giving us one last suspicious look.

"It's tonight." Harry told us after she was out of earshot. "I'll bet that note was a fake. The Ministry's going to get a big surprise when Dumbledore shows up tonigh-"

Hermione gasped and we swung around to see Snape staring at us with an odd expression, a strange smile playing on his face.

"You really should be outside on a day like this."

"We were-" Harry seemed to be trying to come up with an excuse but Snape cut him off.

"Hanging around inside like this, people will think you're up to something, and Griffindor can't afford to loose any more points now, can they?"  
Harry flushed and looked like he was about to give an angry retort. I grabbed his sleeve and started urging my friends towards the exit.

I didn't know if Snape was a Legillmens or not. If he could read minds like Turpin and found out what we knew...

"Potter!" We stopped in our tracks and turned to face Snape. "Be warned. Any more nighttime wanderings and I will personally make sure you are expelled."

We went around the corner, my mind racing furiously. Harry set Hermione on Snape's tail while he went up to the third floor with me and Ron. Professor McGonagall was furious when she found us there and threatened to take off another fifty points if she caught us anywhere near the area again.

"I'm going back there." My mind was made up.

"But you just heard what McGonagall said!" Ron looked thunderstruck. I nodded.

"She won't see me."

If ever a time was ripe for using my talent to avoid detection, it was now. I left the boys and swiftly changed into a mouse when I was out of sight, scampering along the corridor until I reached the door that separated Fluffy from the rest of the school. I shrunk into a spider and went in through a crack in the door.

Fluffy was sleeping soundly.

I went back to mouse and went around to the back of the corridor before changing back into myself. He didn't wake up, but if he did I would be able to change form and escape. I settled down to wait.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Severus Snape watched the idiotic little Griffindors turn the corner.

Him steal the Stone indeed!

One glance into Potter's memories had been more than enough to show him what was going on. The fool boy wore his heart and memories on his sleeve.

He wouldn't put it past the quartet to go after the Stone themselves that evening.

A threat of expulsion might dissuade the Granger girl from going along with the plot and influence her to stop the others from going.

The Weasley boy would go wherever Potter went.

Potter would play the hero, and Gwetheren...

He really didn't know.

She actually had solid Occlumency shields. Occlumency shields at eleven! But from what he had seen of her, she wouldn't leave the others to kill themselves on their own. Maybe she could stop them from trying to get themselves murdered.

He turned into the Staff Room, looking for Minerva. Maybe she would be able to drill some sense into her cubs' thick skulls. He had made a vow to keep Lily Evan's son safe, and did not intend to fail. When he saw she wasn't there he swept out of the room only to see the Granger girl there. Her eyes widened when she saw him and she babbled off some story about looking for Flitwick.

Of course she wouldn't admit to keeping watch on him like her memories showed her agreeing to. He snarled at her and went back into the Staff Room. Two minutes later, he went back out and found her gone.

That evening, he watched Potter and his minions at their supper. Only the Granger girl and the Weasley boy were there with him. Had Gwetheren actually deserted them? Minerva had informed him that she had shooed her away from the corridor with the other boys.

Severus went back to his office and waited until curfew. He figured that if the Boy-Who-Insisted-On-Trying-To-Kill-Himself-And-His-Minions was indeed going after the Stone, he would wait until after curfew.

A quick Disillusionment Charm, and Severus went to take up his post outside the Fat Lady.

He waited the entire night.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Blaise could feel that something was wrong with Melody.

He and Lisa were in the Room of Requirement and had just been about to leave for their dorms when a wave of pain had swooshed through him before weird presence had made itself known in their minds. Lisa had identified it as Melody's, but there was something wrong with it.

It was as though something was suppressing her emotions and her will, though Lisa said she could feel Melody struggling against whatever it was that had caused her that dreadful pain moments before.

Blaise was out of his territory.

All he could do was sit and watch Lisa as she tried to break through whatever had its hold on Melody.

"Blaise!" She gasped suddenly, clenching her hands. "Help... Me..."

He tried to project his will towards Lisa, willing her to draw whatever energy she could from him. Other than that, he was helpless.

A sudden mental snap shocked him out of his reverie and he felt Melody's emotions running rampant and strong.

She may not have worked on strengthening their mind link since her point loosing spree, but the link was still there and open.

Pain shot through from Melody like the pain from before, but it was even worse now.

Lisa cried out and Blaise clutched the couch to steady himself.

Waves of pain were rolling through the link. The two of them were struggling to free themselves from it as the link began to loose its potency before shutting down.

"What... the... bloody... hell... just happened?" Blaise groaned, rubbing his temples. Lisa was shaking as she looked up at him with wide eyes.

"Something painful just happened. I think Melody's unconscious." She whispered fearfully. Melody may have been mean to Lisa, but neither she nor he wanted to have their fellow talented student suffer lasting harm.

Blaise went to his dorm shortly after, but as he lay down on his bed, he couldn't sleep. Neither he nor Lisa were going sleep after what had just happened that evening.

Melody would have a lot to answer for in the morning.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Melody?"

Harry called her name uncertainly. He, Ron and Hermione listened intently, but there was no sound from the corridor besides growling from Fluffy behind the door. Harry turned to face his friends.

"If you want to go back now, you can take the cloak. I won't need it."

"We're coming with you Harry." Hermione faced him resolutely and Ron nodded in agreement. Harry felt a strange sense of gratitude and connection with them. They were truly his friends. They were in this together.

Harry pushed open the door, looking nervously at the floor. The trapdoor was shut and there was no sign of blood.

Had Melody gone through it after whoever had left that harp in the middle of the room?

Harry lifted the flute from Hagrid to his lips and began to blow random notes. It wasn't exactly a song, but Fluffy's heads drooped limply and snores began to resonate through the corridor. Ron gingerly shoved one of the great forepaws from the trapdoor and opened it, peering inside.

"Can't see a thing. It's pitch black. Want to go first Hermione? It looks like we'll just have to drop."

"No, I don't!" Hermione sounded nervous but determined.

"Alright then." Ron braced himself to go down, but Harry waved to get his attention, motioning for Ron to let him go first.

"You sure, mate?" Ron looked dubious, but Harry nodded. "Then give Hermione the flute so she can keep playing."

Harry passed her the flute and she began to blow before the dog could wake up properly. Harry slid into the hole and hung by his fingers for a moment before letting go.

If Melody or her body were down here, he wanted to be the first to see so he could send Ron and Hermione back.

Harry landed with a soft thump.

"It's alright! It's a soft landing!" he called up towards the small light up above. Ron joined him momentarily.

"What is this stuff?" He asked as soon as he landed.

"I dunno. Some sort of plant thing to break our fall I guess."

Hermione joined the two of the right when Harry felt something wrap around his chest.

"It's trying to strangle me!"

Icy fear suddenly coursed through his veins.

They had landed in a trap.

He had led the to their deaths.

He and Ron began struggling as hard as they could, but Hermione just lay limply and vanished underneath the plant.

"It's alright! Just relax! It's Devil's Snare!" Her muffled voice floated up. Harry could see no other way of possibly getting out of this alive and followed her advice. The vines began to loosen their grip and he found himself falling onto a dirt floor beside Hermione.

"Ron's not relaxing, is he?" She stared up at the plant floor. "What was it that destroyed Devil's Snare? It likes dark and dampness..."

"So light a fire!" Harry picked himself up.

"But there's no wood!" Hermione cried desperately.

"HAVE YOU GONE MAD?! ARE YOU A WITCH OR NOT?!" Harry yelled at her.

"Oh, right!" Harry sagged in relief as Ron fell to the floor beside them when the bluebell flames licked the plant.

"Lucky you pay attention in Herbology." Harry commented to Hermione as the three of them set off.

"Yeah, and lucky Harry doesn't loose his head in a crisis." Ron shook his head. "'There's no wood.' Honestly!"

"Is that light up ahead?" Harry cut in before Hermione could retort.

"Do you hear that flapping noise?" Hermione queried.

There was light up ahead. The three of them found themselves in a room with hundreds of birds fluttering overhead. They raced across the room and tugged on the door which wouldn't budge, even when Hermione tried her opening charm.

Harry's heart was pounding.

Would they find Melody in there? Would they find Voldemort or Snape?

"They're keys!" Ron sounded stunned. Harry looked up at the bird-keys overhead and then looked around the room.

"Broomsticks!" He exclaimed, hurrying over.

"You're looking for a large key, probably silver and old fashion like the door handle." Hermione informed him.

Harry nodded, reverting into seeker mode as he darted up at the lazily floating keys. They sped up as he approached, but he managed to find the key after about two minutes' search. It had a crumpled wing, as though it had been caught once already. He pinned the key against the wall before hurling it down to Hermione who immediately turned it in the lock.

The door swung open as Harry landed and the three of them went on into the next room.

The lights clicked on, and Ron was in his element. It was a giant wizarding chessboard. They had to play their was across to gain entrance to the next room. Harry felt even more dread settle in his stomach when he realized Melody wasn't in this room either. Ron took charge, giving Harry and Hermione their positions as he began to direct the pieces across the board.

"Harry, don't hang around after you win. Keep going." Harry looked at Ron in alarm. His friend's face was set. "When the Queen takes me, you checkmate the king."

"Ron, no!" Hermione cried out in fear.

"That's chess!" Ron swung around to face her. "You need to make sacrifices!"

There was no other option.

Ron stepped forward and allowed the Queen to knock him out. Harry shakily moved to checkmate the king and the pieces moved apart to allow passage. Hermione and Harry looked back at Ron in anguish before continuing.

There was a stunned troll in the next room, and there was blood on the walls. Harry just hoped none of it was Melody's. When they passed into the next room, a curtain of flame sprung up and surrounded them.

Hermione darted forward, picking up a scroll that lay beside seven bottles and read out the riddle. Harry watched her in silence as she muttered to herself before pointing out the one that would let you go ahead.

"Which one will take you back?" He asked. He wouldn't allow another one of his friends to be put into danger. Melody's status was unknown, possibly injured or dead, and he would be the one to face whoever it was that had made it that far.

"You take it." Harry held up a hand to forestall Hermione's protests. "Take it and go back to get Ron. Take brooms from the key room to get back through the trapdoor and send Hedwig to Dumbledore. I'm not going to be able to hold off Snape forever, and if he has Melody as a hostage..." Harry trailed off, not wanting to voice the fear that she was...

Hermione's bottom lip trembled, and before Harry could say anything else she had dashed towards him and was pulling him into a tight hug.

"Hermione!"

"Oh, Harry! You're a really great wizard you know."

Shame flooded through him. How great was he when he had led his three closest friends here? Ron was hopefully only unconscious and Melody was missing.

"I'm not as good as you." He mumbled awkwardly.

"Me! Books and cleverness, but there are so many other greater things like friendship and bravery, and... and... oh, Harry please be careful!"

Harry felt strange. Was this what it was like to have real friends? People who thought he was really worth something? Suddenly, he really didn't want to go past the flames. He wanted to stay safely here with his friends. But Melody might be behind there and he couldn't desert her.

"You're sure about the bottles?"

"Positive."

"You drink first."

Harry wanted to make sure Hermione didn't try to follow him after he went through.

Hermione nodded and picked up her bottle, commenting on how it was like ice flowing through her veins. She turned and left the way they had come. Harry picked up his bottle and drank it, walking through the flames the other way.

Melody was in the next room.

But she wasn't hurt or dead.

From what Harry could see, she was perfectly fine, but had a sort of a staring expression, as though she couldn't see him.

"I thought I might see you here." Harry turned to the source of the cold voice.

It wasn't Snape.

It wasn't even Voldemort.

It was Quirrel.

"You!" He gasped, distracted from Melody by shock.

"Yes, Potter. Me." Quirrel was wearing a vicious smile, no longer stuttering or twitching.

"But- I thought- Snape-" Harry tried to make sense of what was going on.

"Yes, Severus was rather useful to have around. Next to the overgrown bat, who would suspect p-p-poor st-stuttering Quirrel?"

"But Snape tried to kill me at the Quidditch match!"

"Oh no." Quirrel gave a high, cold laugh that didn't suit him at all. "No, no, no, Potter. I tried to kill you. Your little friend Gwetheren hit me with a hex meant for Snape that broke my concentration and Granger set Snape on fire. I would have had you off of that broom sooner if that fool of a bat hadn't been muttering a counter curse and trying to save you."

"He was trying to save me?"

"Yes." Quirrel snapped his fingers and ropes appeared,wrapping themselves around Harry. Harry tried to keep Quirrel talking, trying to distract his attention from the Mirror of Erised which had been put down here for some reason. Melody didn't react to anything, but just stood there meekly.

"Use the boy... Use the boy..." Harry's skin crawled as a voice seemed to come from the back of Quirrel's turban, even though the professor wasn't saying anything.

"Yes, Potter, come here!" Quirrel turned and clapped his hands. The ropes binding Harry vanished and he moved forward. Melody still didn't react.

Harry stood in front of the mirror and saw his reflection put a blood red stone into his pocket.

"What do you see? Tell me boy!" Quirrel commanded. Harry's temper flared. He _hated _being called 'boy'. It reminded him of his uncle.

"I see myself shaking hands with Dumbledore." He invented. "I've won the house cup for Griffindor."

Quirrel cursed and ordered Harry to stand aside. Harry wanted to make a break for it, but what would Quirrel do to Melody if he left her there?

"He lies... He lies..." Came the strange voice again.

"Potter!" Quirrel snapped. "What did you see?"

"Let me speak to him... face to face..."

"Master, you are not strong enough for this."

"I have enough strength... for this..."

Harry watched numbly as Quirrel began to unwrap his turban. The material fell away and the man turned on the spot, revealing another face. A snakelike face with slitted red eyes. It was Voldemort.

"Harry Potter... You see what I have become? Mere shadow and vapour... You saw faithful Quirrel drinking unicorn blood for me in the forest... With the Philosopher's Stone I will regain a body of my own... Now, why don't you give it to me? Just take it out of your pocket..."

"No!" Harry yelled, backing away.

The face twisted into an awful smile.

"Bravery... Yesss... Just like your parents... They died begging me for their lives..."

"Liar!" Harry ran to Melody and grabbed her arm, attempting to drag her towards the exit.

"Hold him." Voldemort commanded. Harry watched in horror as Melody swung towards him, face blank. She reached out towards him and he backed into the wall.

"Melody! Don't listen to him!" He cried urgently. Something seemed to flicker in her eyes as she moved after him, the flickering growing stronger before she shuddered and seemed to come back to herself, stumbling and dropping her arms.

"Harry!" She gasped, looking at him like she was just seeing him.

An awful snarl sounded from behind her and she grabbed Harry, dragging him out of the way of a curse that sped towards him.

"Go!" She shrieked, drawing her wand and whirling to face Quirrel.

"Not without you!" He yelled as he scrambled to his feet.

"Get the Stone out of here!" She began to send a stream of spells at Quirrel, attempting to draw his attention from Harry.

Harry couldn't leave.

Melody was a fantastic duellist for a first year, but she was out of her depth. Voldemort and Quirrel had had a lot more experience than her. It was his fault she was here in the first place and he refused to let her die because of it. If she wanted the Stone safe...

"Catch!" He called to her, taking careful aim as he threw the stone, drawing his own wand. She could take the Stone to safety. Harry would hold off Voldemort if it cost him his life.

"No!" Quirrel raised a hand and the Stone began to fly towards him. Harry's heart clenched. Melody leaped through the air, catching the Stone in one hand before hitting the ground and rolling to her feet, heading towards the exit. Harry ran after her. Melody started to run up the stairs, dodged a jinx, and fell to her knees as she missed a step. Harry lunged forward, grabbing her and pulling her up.

The two of them ran out of the room, Quirrel in hot pursuit with Voldemort's shrieks urging him on.

"Here!" Melody gasped, thrusting the Stone back into Harry's hands. Harry sprinted out into the chess room. Ron and Hermione were both gone. He turned back to see a spell narrowly miss Melody and went back for her. He grabbed her and dragged her forward, dodging as curses flew towards them.

Harry began dodging around the chess pieces to avoid Quirrel with Melody copying him.

A terrible scream stopped him in his tracks.

Harry whipped around to see one of the chess pieces holding Melody captive, unable to escape while Quirrel cursed her.

"MELODY!" He yelled.

"Give me the stone or watch her die!" Quirrel snarled before sending another curse at Melody. "_Crucio!_"

She writhed and shuddered in pain as Quirrel cursed her repeatedly. Harry couldn't leave her. He thundered towards Quirrel as Melody slumped in her captor's arms, eyes rolling back in her head. Quirrel was laughing until Harry's hands closed around his throat.

Harry had forgotten all about magic and the fact that Quirrel and Voldemort were both much more experienced than him.

As his hands touched Quirrel's skin, the laughter turned into shrieks of anguish.

Harry didn't let go, even though his scar was on fire and his head was splitting open. Whatever he was doing was hurting Quirrel and stopping him from attacking.

"Harry! Harry! Harry!" Voices began echoing through the chamber as darkness began to swirl around the edges of his vision. Harry felt Quirrel being wrenched from his grasp as he fell... and kept on falling... deeper and deeper into the blackness... and kept falling...

**A/N And there is the next chapter for you! I will only post the next one after I get at least one review for my other story about Melody's mother ****_Into Darkness_**

**Till next time,**

**Silent Song of Shadows**


	15. Painful summer

Everything was on fire.

It hurt to breath.

Cold, icy fingers began to press on my skin and I fought them. Everything was painful.

I hurt.

The fingers were becoming firmer and started rubbing on my neck. I opened my eyes to see Professor Snape staring down at me intently.

I couldn't stop shaking and writhing in pain.

A bottle was placed on my lips and coldness began to flow from it, down through my throat and into my veins.

The shaking began to stop as the pain receded, leaving behind a powerful aching in my legs and arms.

Professor Snape was still staring at me.

A sudden pinch on my upper arms distracted me.

I flinched in pain.

"You felt that?"

Of course I did! He pinched me!

"Yes... Sir..." My voice was raspy and my throat was sore and dry.

"Good. There's still time left to save your arms."

Save my arms?

Professor Snape swept over to a cabinet and rummaged in it for a minute while I took stock of my surroundings.

I was back in the hospital wing.

"Melody?" I craned my neck to look left and saw Harry there, looking extremely worried.

"Hey..." My voice was really rough.

"You're alive." He sounded as though he had thought I was dead.

"And I would advise you to leave her to be treated if you want to have her back to full health."

Professor Snape had returned with a jar of cream. He unscrewed the lid and began to rub it on my fingers, but I couldn't feel him doing it. I could see him rubbing, but I couldn't move my hands. I couldn't feel anything!

"Sir?" I looked up at him, trying to stay calm.

"Yes?" He didn't look up from his work.

"I can't feel that." My raspy voice was shaking. Why couldn't I feel what he was doing?

"Understandable. One of the effects of prolonged exposure to the Cruciatus Curse is the destruction of the nerves of the body. Had you been subject to any further exposure, there is a good chance you would have completely lost the use of your arms and legs and possibly have suffered brain damage."

"But- I'm going to be fine now. Won't- won't I?" I didn't care about putting up any Occlumency shields to stop him reading my thoughts if he could. What was going to happen to me?

Professor Snape didn't answer until he finished rubbing in the cream up to halfway between my elbow and shoulder.

"Make a fist." He instructed. I concentrated on my right hand and managed to curl my fingers into a loose ball. That cream had brought back the feeling in my arm. Professor Snape began to put it on my other arm and I watched him in silent shame. I had believed that he was working for Voldemort and had tried to hex him, and here he was helping me!

"Do you remember any other curses that might have been used on you?"

I frowned in concentration.

"I think it was something like... Emperio?"

"Imperio?"

I nodded and flinched at the pain sudden movement caused. Professor Snape set down the cream beside my bed.

"Rub that on your arms and legs every hour for the next ten days. We'll see if it does anything good and go from there." He turned and swooped out of the room, passing by Madam Pomfrey who was coming in with a glass of water and a vial of potion. She gave the potion to Harry and the water to me.

It felt wonderful to have that cool wetness slide down my throat.

"You're lucky Professor Snape is working here." The nurse informed me. "We would have had to send you to Saint Mungo's otherwise and that would have taken so long you probably would have lost the use of your limbs."

"Professor Snape does well with this kind of thing?" I asked curiously, thankful that my voice was becoming steadier.

"Yes. He was one of the best medics during the first war. Specialized in dealing with those who had suffered from dark spells. Of course, he mostly gave instructions on how to treat people, but whenever there was a need for a medic and he was... available, he would treat the wounded. He was the one who developed that cream and potion you had."

"Oh." Boy, did I feel like an orange. We had thought he was working for Voldemort all the time.

"Madam Pomfrey," Harry suddenly cut in, "could Ron and Hermione please come in?"

"Absolutely not!" She turned on him sharply, but Harry didn't quail.

"You let Headmaster Dumbledore in."

"That's a completely different case."

"Just five minutes?"

"You need rest, both of you."

"We are resting! Look, we're lying down and everything." Harry gestured hopefully. Madam Pomfrey threw up her hands in exasperation.

"Alright then, but for five minutes only."

She went and opened the door, revealing Ron and Hermione, both looking nervous.

"Harry!" Hermione rushed over to his bed, looking like she was going to snare him in a strangling hug, but refrained.

"You two alright?" Ron followed at a more sedate pace. Hermione looked up at me anxiously.

"Should be soon, I hope." I managed a smile. Harry looked at me.

"How did you end up like that down there?"

I took a deep breath.

"Well, I had been hiding behind Fluffy for a while and must have dozed off. I woke up to the sound of a harp playing and saw someone slide into the trapdoor, so I followed him. We went through some plant thing-"

"Devil's Snare." Hermione inserted.

"And then we were going down a dark corridor and I tried to get him with a full body-bind, but missed. We exchanged spells for a few seconds before he suddenly lit the hall with a bright light and blinded me. He hit me with a painful curse and before I could recover he hit me with a curse of some sort that made me obey him. He took me down with him to the last room. I think he must have been planning to use me as a hostage if Dumbledore had showed up." I shivered. If Harry hadn't shown up at all... "What about you guys? Or was it Harry going on a solo mission?"

"It was all three of us." Harry said. "We got into Fluffy's room alright, and used that flute Hagrid gave me to put him to sleep. Ron and I got stuck in the Devil's Snare, but Hermione got us out using her fire spell. When we got to the room with the flying keys, I caught the key and then we went into the chess room and Ron won the game for us by sacrificing himself. There was a troll in the next room, but it was already defeated so Hermione and I went into the next room with the bottles and fire. She figured out the riddle to get past and I told her to go back to get Dumbledore with Ron. I went on and saw you in the room, but you had a blank expression on your face and didn't react to anything."

"Who was it in the room?" Ron looked like he didn't even want to know the answer.

"It was Quirrel." Hermione and Ron gasped.

Harry proceeded to retell all that had happened to the two of us while those two gasped in all the right places and Hermione actually screamed when Harry told them what was under Quirrel's turban. I tuned the three of them out and thought back to what had happened to me.

How had I broken through that curse?

There was no way I had done it on my own, and Harry didn't have any explanation in his story.

_Blaise and Lisa._ Whispered a little voice inside my head as shame covered me again. They must have helped me through the mind link. Even after I had been so mean to them.

_**You owe us.**_

_Blaise?_

_**Wait, you can hear me?**_

_Nope. I'm just talking or thinking or whatever-you-want-to-call-it-ing to myself._

_Very funny Melody._

_Lisa?_

_No, the Queen of England._

_Right..._

_What happened to you?_

_I got into trouble._

_**Yeah, we knew that already Griffindork.**_

_We felt you in pain and then being weird. It was hard to break you out of it._

_The pain was the Cruciatus Curse, if I remember what Snape said correctly and the weird thing was the Imperio Curse._

Shock flowed from both of them.

_**You're coming to the room tonight.**_

_I've kinda been tied to this bed._

_Then we're coming to you. You owe us an explanation._

_Understood._

"Slytherins won of course." I came back to hearing Ron gripe about loosing the House Cup. "You'll have to come down for it tomorrow. The food'll be good."

Right then, Madam Pomfrey returned and shooed them out.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Blaise was ready to go when Lisa finally made her way to the Room. Both of them were feeling slightly awkward already. Neither spoke as the room provided a passageway for them to sneak into the hospital wing.

Melody was staring up at the ceiling while Harry was sleeping. Madam Pomfrey was nowhere to be seen. Lisa and Blaise sat down on her right. She looked at them and they looked at her, none of them knowing where to begin.

"So we completed the link?" Melody broke the silence gently.

"I think so." Lisa nodded. "At least, we can communicate silently. It'll still take some effort to get used to using it properly and shutting each other out if we need to. That would have been useful when you were in that pain."

"Professor Snape said it was the Cruciatus Curse." Melody obviously didn't realize the significance of what that curse meant. Blaise couldn't understand how she could be so... innocent.

"Do you know what kind of curse the Cruciatus is?" He asked.

"A bad one."

"It's one of the three Unforgivables. Using one of them warrants a life sentence in Azkaban."

"Azkaban?"

"The wizarding prison." Lisa explained. "Pretty much the worst place you can go."

Melody frowned.

"But what if someone puts you under the Imperio and makes you use one of them?"

Blaise smirked. That was almost a Slytherin-worthy question.

"The Imperius Curse has its limits. That's one of the Unforgivables. The third is the Avada Kedavra, or the killing curse."

Melody's eyes widened in shock. Blaise wondered why she was so startled.

"Avada Kedavra?" She whispered. Lisa nodded and Melody looked lost in thought.

"Using it means you go to Azkaban?"

"Yes." Blaise nodded. "But we were talking about the Imperius Curse. Many witches and wizards claimed they were only serving the Dark Lord because they were under its influence. The aurors had a hard time sorting out the innocent from the guilty. But even under the Imperius Curse, the caster cannot make you use any of the Unforgivables unless you were willing to use them even before you were under it, and then you wouldn't even need to be put under the Imperius. A big part of being able to cast those curses is emotions. You have to truly want to kill to be able to cast the Avada Kedavra properly. If you don't have the desire to kill whoever you're fighting, you won't be able to do it. You need to want to cause pain and enjoy seeing the person in pain to cast the Cruciatus. Righteous anger, for example, will not hurt the person you cast the curse at because they do not enjoy causing pain usually. And to use the Imperius, you need to want to control whoever it is, to force them to obey your will, to make them your slave. The Imperius makes you obey, it does not give you the mindset of someone evil. It cannot truly create emotion."

"You sure know a lot about it."

Blaise smiled wryly.

"My mom has married many men from many different backgrounds and they've all ended up dead. But I still have to be able to connect with my temporary step-fathers and one of them was really into the Dark Arts, so..." He trailed off.

Lisa sighed.

"Lisa?" She turned to look at Melody. Blaise did to. Melody had actually called her 'Lisa' instead of 'Turpin'.

"I'm sorry for not trusting you. I'm really new to all this magic stuff and I just found your talent kind of..."

"Creepy." Blaise supplied.

"Different." Melody finished.

"Different in a creepy way." Blaise settled back and folded his arms. They were back to normal and even better than normal.

"Not as creepy as Quirrelmort." She shot at him.

"Quirrelmort?" Blaise was bewildered. Melody began to explain all that had happened that year and Blaise was stunned. From the looks of it, Lisa was too.

"You actually did have a dragon?" Blaise raised an eyebrow.

"There was actually a Philosopher's Stone in the school?" Lisa's eyes shone. Melody was about to answer when they heard a sound from the closed office door.

"Pomfrey." Whispered Lisa. Blaise shifted into shadow and swept back to the dungeons before materializing on his bed.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Madam Pomfrey finally finished checking Harry over and released him. He shot out of bed and over to the door where I was waiting for him with a smirk. We had been released to go to the Leaving Feast, but not without waiting for one last checkup to ensure we weren't going to collapse the moment we set foot outside of the hospital wing.

The corridors were empty; everyone was down at the feast already. I had to make periodic stops along the way to allow my legs to get used to the feeling of being used again, but the cream was working wonders.

"Ready?" Harry paused just out of sight of those in the Great Hall.

"Nope, but let's do it."

We walked over to the Griffindor table together. I tried to look unconcerned with all the eyes fixed on me and pretended I couldn't hear the whispers about me and Harry. The Hall was hung with the Slytherin colours of green and silver. Ron and Hermione had saved seats for us and we sat down, but the eyes of the students didn't leave us until Dumbledore stood up and began to speak.

"Well, it is the end of another year and the house cup needs awarding. As the points stand, we have Griffindor in fourth place with 201 points, Hufflepuff in third with 312, Ravenclaw in second with 367 points and Slytherin in first with 421 points."

A storm of cheering broke out at the Slytherin table. Harry was staring mutinously at Malfoy.

"However, recent events must be taken into account." The Slytherins quieted down and looked at Dumbledore nervously. Recent events?

"I have several last minute points to hand out. First of all, to Mr. Ronald Weasley for the best played game of chess Hogwarts has seen in many years, I award fifty points to Griffindor."

Ron was turning as red as his hair and I could hear Percy informing the other prefects over the cheering from our table that Ron was _his_ youngest brother.

"Next, to Miss Hermione Granger" I turned to see Hermione looking startled and wide-eyed, "for the use of cool logic in the face of fire... I award Griffindor fifty points."

Hermione buried her head in her hands as the cheering grew louder.

"Thirdly," the room grew silentish again, "to Miss Melody Gwetheren... For exceptional talent in duelling and outstanding bravery, I award Griffindor fifty points."

_ME?!_

Harry laughed at my expression as he continued clapping.

"Fourth, to Mr. Harry Potter," Now it was Harry's turn to be shocked. "For unequalled courage and sheer nerve and chivalry, I award Griffindor house sixty points."

"Yes! YES!" I punched the air in triumph and hugged Harry, who was looking shell shocked.

"And finally," the hall grew deathly still, "it takes great courage to stand up to your enemies, but even greater courage to stand up to your friends. I therefore award ten points to Neville Longbottom."

The Hall exploded with screams and cheers of delight as Neville was buried under a crowd of Griffindors and the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs celebrated our point earning spree.

"I believe this means we need a change of decoration!" I faintly heard Dumbledore call out. A change of decoration? He waved a hand and the Slytherin colours turned to the red and gold of Griffindor!

"Wait, we won?"

All those who could hear me burst into laughter.

"Yes, Melody." Harry said when he could finally breathe again. "Neville's ten points put us ten points ahead of Slytherin."

"Oh. That's... that's... I mean... what?"

I was feeling rather caught off guard here, but nobody seemed to mind. Harry just shook his head as the feast appeared on our plates.

Laughter was the order of the night as Griffindor celebrated their win. The Quidditch Cup had gone to Slytherin since our star seeker was in the hospital wing, but we still had something to cheer for.

The next morning found the entire school in a flurry and bustle with packing and saying their farewells. I was staying over the summer, so I helped Hermione gather her many books and pack them together. Harry and Ron were waiting for us down in the common room.

None of us spoke as we went down to where a bunch of carriages pulled by weird flying horse things were standing and waiting to take the students to the Hogwarts Express.

"I guess this is goodbye then." I finally said as a carriage was pulled up to us.

"No." Harry shook his head with an odd smile before looking back at the castle, as if he was memorizing its features. "It's not really goodbye."

Hermione must have felt that a group hug was in order, because she grabbed Ron and Harry and dragged them towards me. The four of us hugged each other tightly.

"I'll have to invite you to stay over the summer. All of you." Ron informed us as we broke apart.

"I'll look forward to it." I smiled at him.

Then the three of them climbed into the carriage and the horse starting pulling it down the path. They looked out the back and we waved at each other until they went around the bend.

"See you later then?" I turned. Lisa and Blaise were grinning at me.

"Definitely." I went for another group hug before Lisa and Blaise went off in one of the other carriages. I stood there until all the students had left and the empty carriages came back.

I slowly made my way back to the castle. Professors Dumbledore and Snape were waiting on the front steps.

"Good morning Miss Gwetheren." Dumbledore sounded rather cheerful. "If you would care to join myself and Professor Snape in my office we can discuss how your summer will work." I nodded and the three of us set off. Dumbledore led the way to an ugly stone gargoyle on the seventh floor and said "Chocolate Frogs." It sprang aside to reveal a circular staircase. Professor Snape stepped back to let me go ahead of him and I followed Dumbledore up the stairs and into a large office hung with many portraits. There were a large amount of spindly silver things lining the shelves, and a phoenix was perched beside a large armchair. It perked up when I entered and took off in a whirl of feathers before coming to settle on my shoulder.

"This is Fawkes. He's a phoenix." Dumbledore informed me.

"I know." I raised a hand and began to stroke his feathers. Fawkes looked at me curiously.

_You are a queer human. You seem to have some type of empathy for us Phoenixes._

I smiled and scratched under his chin before sitting down in a chair in front of Dumbledore's desk. Professor Snape stood behind me.

"Now then, as I'm sure you know, most students do not remain at the castle for the summer." Professor Dumbledore began. "Yet in some circumstances we have one or two who remain with us. As most of the staff have their own homes to return to, you will be asked to confine your wanderings of the halls to a smaller scale than you would during most of the school year. Professor Snape has kindly agreed to take on the task of watching you for the first two weeks, and will be working with you to help heal your injuries from this past year."

"I was wanting to ask you something about that sir." I swiftly spoke up. Professor Dumbledore motioned for me to continue.

"Why is it that the Philosopher's Stone was hidden here in the first place? There must be some other explanation besides how safe the school is. And if you were trusting in the safety measures, how did three first years get by them so easily?"

The twinkle vanished from his eyes and I felt the nudge of Legillmency against my mind. I slammed up my shields. My mind was mine alone. No headmaster would get into it unless I wanted him to.

The headmaster in question sighed.

"I am afraid there are some questions I cannot answer now, and maybe not even later."

"With due respect sir, I was badly injured and Harry almost died and Ron was injured too. Hermione could have messed up with the bottles and chosen poison. I believe the four of us are owed some kind of explanation as to why we had to go and stop Quirrelmort from getting the Stone when we were told it was safe."

"I am afraid there are some questions I cannot answer now, and maybe not even later." Dumbledore repeated. "Getting back to your summer arrangements, Professor Snape will be your main caretaker for the first two weeks, followed by Hagrid. Depending on whether or not you end up being invited to visit at some of your friends' homes, we will continue to make arrangements as the need arises."

I nodded.

"Professor Snape will take you to your summer quarters now and explain your restrictions in further detail." I nodded again and followed Professor Snape out the door and down the staircase, Fawkes flying back to his perch.

We went down to the dungeons in silence and Professor Snape stopped in front of a portrait of a young man brewing a potion that bubbled away and looked almost like mud. He turned to face me.

"From now on," he began, "these will be your summer quarters. In order to access them, you will be required to correctly identify the potion that Samhain is brewing. This should help to ensure that your mental state remains stable, as some victims of the Cruciatus go insane after suffering the effects of the curse."

I nodded nervously and Professor Snape continued down the corridor until he reached a carving of a snake. He placed his right hand on it.

"Crescendo." The snake slid down the wall and the stones moved apart to reveal a massive room. He stepped inside and I followed, looking around in awe.

"Here is where you will work on keeping your hands and feet in proper working condition. Do you have any experience with playing the piano?" I shook my head as I stared at the glossy black instrument, nestled into a corner while shelves full of books lined the walls. Most of the floor was cleared away to show its marble surface clearly.

"Then you will begin today. Piano to strengthen your fingers, and dancing to strengthen your legs."

This summer was going to be very different, that much was for sure.

"You are to confine yourself to this room, your quarters, and the grounds. The house elves will bring you your meals and there is a small library in your quarters that should provide you with sufficient information to complete your summer homework satisfactorily. Is this understood?"

"Yes sir." What was there to _not _understand?

"You will also have a curfew. You are to be in your quarters by eight in the evening, and inside by six."

I nodded. Professor Snape turned to leave.

"Professor?"

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Severus Snape had really been looking forward to the summer months when he would not have to worry about Harry Bloody Potter. The little twerp had had the nerve to sneak out of his common room _before_ Severus had taken up his post and had managed to nearly get himself killed, along with his minions.

And now... He had to put up with one of Potter's sidekicks for the first part of his summer. And of course it just had to be the Gwetheren girl, the one who reminded him of Lydia, and thinking of Lydia always turned his thoughts to Lily...

At least he didn't have to be in the same room as her for the most part.

Severus finished laying down the law and turned to leave.

"Professor?"

He turned back. What did she want now?

"Did you have a question?"

"No sir, I just wanted to... apologize."

Was he hearing right? What on earth would she want to be apologizing for? For making him look after her that summer? If anyone was going to apologize for that it would be Dumbledore.

"To apologize?"

"For thinking that you were after the Stone and for trying to hex you during the Quidditch match when you saved Harry."

Severus raised an eyebrow. She had tried to hex him? She was the one who set him on fire?

"You tried to hex me."

It was a statement, not a question.

She nodded.

"I missed and hit Quirrelmort instead. It knocked him into you."

So that was why Quirrel had lost concentration. Severus nodded and turned to leave.

This time, she didn't stop him.

He swooped out of the room and into his quarters. This summer was going to be different, that much was for sure.

Over the next few days, Gwetheren kept mostly to herself. He could usually hear her picking at the piano when he went by. Sometimes it would be the sound of other instruments playing while she practised her dancing.

Severus was relieved that the summer had some sort of semblance to a normal one where he would stay alone and work on his potions.

At least, the summer was going fine until she found the recordings.

Severus had been going past the room when the sound of a piano, violin and a flute playing together had caught his attention. He went and looked in the room.

The Gwetheren girl was dancing to their music.

Severus was finding it hard to breathe.

_She didn't know... She couldn't have known..._

The song ended and she went towards the piano, but passed it and placed a hand on another carving of a snake.

He had no idea how she had found that room.

She reemerged, cradling a violin with a smile on her face. She walked over to the end of the piano and fiddled with the settings that he, Lily, and Lydia had placed on it when they had used this very room.

The sound of a flute and piano playing Pachabel's Cannon in D began to fill the room as the girl raised the violin to her shoulder and touched the bow to the strings. She began to play along with the recording and Severus found himself caught up in the past... When it had been Lydia playing the violin while Lily was on the flute and he was the pianist...

_How did she find those?_

The music swelled and she played along with it until the end. She lifted the violin from her shoulder.

"You never said you knew how to play an instrument."

Her head snapped up and she looked startled.

"Well, you... um, you... never... asked?" She looked rather embarrassed at being found out.

He nodded and walked forward.

"How did you find the recordings?"

"My mom had the same system, but it was on a picture frame. She said that the songs were played by her and two of her closest friends."

Severus was shocked. Lydia had actually said he was one of her closest friends?

"She was the violinist in these recordings, wasn't she?"

"Yes." He nodded.

"Did you play the flute or piano?"

He paused, considering how to answer. What harm could it do to answer truthfully?

"I played the piano." Her eyes widened in awe and she set the violin down before dashing over to one one the shelves and pulling out a piece of music, bringing it over to him.

"Do you think you could play this one for me?"

Severus was stunned. Of all the songs she could have pulled out...

"I mean, you don't have to sing it, but well... My mom used to set the recording for it on piano only and play it for me when I was young. Could you please play it? Sir?"

He looked into her blue eyes that gazed hopefully at him. Why in Merlin's name did she have to master that look Lily would send him when she wanted something? Yes, the eyes were blue and not green, but how in Merlin's name was he supposed to say no? And how was he supposed to say yes?

He took the music silently and seated himself at the piano, opening to the first page and pausing to read the inscription again.

_To SS_

_With love from LE_

_In hopes that if anything should happen to either of us, your and My Heart Will Go On_

Lily had loved that movie. Severus still couldn't watch _Titanic _without thinking of her. This had been her favourite song.

He began to play softly, caught up in the bittersweet memories he still clung to.

The Gwetheren girl had perched herself silently on a bench to his left, entranced as he commanded the piano keys beneath his fingers.

When he had finished the song, he picked up the music and silently left the room with it.

Her eyes followed him to the door.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

There are some people you have to spend a lot of time with to really get to know them.

Professor Sev was one of those people.

We were about to go into the fourth week of summer vacation, and the two of us had been spending more time together in the music room. I was glad I had picked that song to ask him to play. It had sort of opened a door for the two of us to understand each other better. Had you asked me at the beginning of the summer whether or not I liked spending time with Professor Sev, it would have been a pretty firm no.

But now...

We would play music together, him on the piano and me on either piano or violin. We'd practise dancing together and brew potions.

I had even started calling him 'Professor Sev' in secret.

I didn't think I'd ever tell him that.

He'd probably have a heart failure.

"Miss Gwetheren?" I looked up from my Potions textbook to see Professor Sev standing in the doorway with a letter in his hand.

"Yes, sir?" I stood up.

"You have been invited to spend the rest of the summer with the Weasleys."

I had? Ron had actually invited me over like he said he would. Maybe he had some information on why Harry was refusing to answer my letters at all. Hermione, Lisa, Blaise, Apple Juice, Crabapple and AJ had kept in touch, but Harry was stubbornly ignoring me. Tasha had been getting quite a workout this summer.

"The headmaster has accepted their invitation for you. You are to leave tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?"

That was so soon.

I was going to miss playing the violin and piano and dancing with Professor Sev.

He nodded, bringing out a package from behind his back.

"This is for you."

I took it from him, carefully unwrapping the paper. It fell away to reveal a case... and the case opened to reveal a reddish brown violin.

"Consider it a late or early birthday present. Being somewhere else will not excuse you from practising consistently."

My fingers had indeed been getting better.

"Thank you sir!"

I didn't know how to properly thank him. Was I supposed to hug him? Give him a present I had tucked away somewhere somehow?

He nodded and swooped away.

I swiftly packed my belongings. I wanted to have some time practising on my new violin before I left.

Professor Sev joined me in the afternoon and we played music until my curfew.

The next morning, I flooed for the first time in my life. Professor Sev threw a pinch of powder onto the fire in his office and the flames turned green.

"Step into it and say 'The Burrow' clearly." He instructed.

I nodded and took a deep breath before stepping into the warm flames.

"The Burrow!"

Everything swirled around me, disorienting and confusing. The flames roared louder and faster until I found myself flying out of the fire and onto the floor of a kitchen packed with things.

I landed with a thump on the flagstones.

"Melody! Melody! Melody!" I looked up shakily. Everything was still spinning and there were six twins instead of two.

"Bloody Orange." I groaned before I was pulled to my feet and the spinning slowed down, allowing the room to come into focus.

"First time flooing?" Ron entered the kitchen with a grin.

"And hopefully last."

The twins laughed and let go of me. I was able to stand properly now and take a good look at my surroundings.

I was in a cozy kitchen, full of gadgets and gizmos that were obviously the products of wizardry. Potatoes were peeling themselves over a sink, the mantle of the fireplace was lined with books that told how to magic your food properly, and the clock that sat squarely in the middle of the mantle had no numbers on it, but told where the different family members were.

"Wow." I breathed.

"How've you been?" Ron leaned against the wall and a small, red haired figure entered the room, stopping dead when she saw me.

"Hey Ginny!"

"And how..."

"Is the lovely sister..."

"Of the handsome Weasley twins..."

"Doing this fine day?"

Shoot. I had forgotten how hard it was to tell those two apart.

"Ginny, this is Melody. Melody, this is my younger sister, Ginny. She'll be starting Hogwarts this fall." Ron introduced us to each other.

"Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you. Fred and George have told me all about you." Ginny grinned mischievously at me.

"So I should probably leave the country and change my name then?"

Ginny seemed like someone I could really get to like. She laughed.

"Probably." At that moment, there was a diversion in the form of a woman who could only be Mrs. Weasley. She bustled into the kitchen with a basket full of laundry, pausing to set it on the table to greet me.

"Hello dear, you must be Melody. Ron's told us so much about you."

She scooped me into a huge hug, startling me for a moment. It had been ages since anyone had hugged me like that.

"It's nice to meet you too Mrs. Weasley."

She held me at arms length, inspecting me critically.

"You look like you could do with a bit of feeding. Lunch will be in about an hour though. I hope you won't mind rooming with Ginny?"

"Not at all."

The twins took that as their cue to gather up my trunk and lug it up the stairs. Ron, Ginny and I followed behind as they set it down in a blue room.

"You'll get this bed." Ginny pointed out. "And I'm afraid you'll have to do your chatting with the boys elsewhere. They're not supposed to come in here." She added with a pointed look at the culprits.

"Then we'll steal Melody now!" The twins must have some kind of mental link to be able to talk to each other like that. I found myself being swept out of the room and down the stairs before being dragged outside. Chickens strutted around, searching for bugs.

Ron trailed behind us.

"Fancy a game of Quidditch?"

There was no chance to say anything or remind them I had never played Quidditch as I was marched along to their broomshed. One of the twins opened the door and took out four brooms. That reminded me...

"Hey, Ron."

"Yeah?"

"Have you heard from Harry lately?" I tried to sound casual. He frowned.

"Nope. Hasn't replied to any of my letters or sent anything to me at all this summer. Has he wrote to you?"

"No." Why would Harry ignore the two of us? Or was he not replying to anyone? Were those relatives he talked about not letting him send letters? Or had something happened to Hedwig?

The twins exchanged a significant glance before they led the way down to their small Quidditch pitch.

**A/N As promised... here is the next chapter! I apologize for not having it up sooner, but the internet was down... **

**Thank you to all my awesomesauce reviewers!**

**Shadow**


	16. Flying and Flooing

After the solitude of Hogwarts, it was a bit disconcerting to have all the hustle and bustle at the Burrow. Mr. Weasley had come home shortly after the boys and I had finished our game of Quidditch. It was me and Ron against Fred and George, because if we had split up the twins I would have kept on passing the Quaffle to the wrong one. The two of them beat us, but we managed to put up a stiff fight after I had gotten used to flying on a broomstick instead of as an owl and figured out how to throw the Quaffle properly. The boys had introduced me to their father, and we had an... interesting conversation at the supper table about how to use a television. The Weasleys kept calling it a Vision-telly or a Talking-vision.

Ginny and I had had a nice chat in her room, and I was definitely getting to like her. She was bright, bubbly and enthusiastic, and was looking forward to going to Hogwarts. She grilled me for all the details I could remember about my lessons, but then I _had_ to tell her about the Sorting Ceremony.

"Fred and George said you had to fight a troll." She snorted in disbelief.

"You do, actually." We weren't supposed to tell any new students what you would actually have to do.

"Seriously?!" She sat up straight, staring at me with huge eyes. "How did you handle it?"

"Well, I'm not actually supposed to tell you anything... so... uhm..."

"Come on! I need to know!" She begged me and I pretended to relent.

"It's done in front of the rest of the school. If you use advanced spells to fight it, you go to Ravenclaw for your brains. If you refuse to fight it, you go to Hufflepuff. Griffindors charge at the troll without any preparation, and Slytherins trick it into fighting someone else while ignoring them."

Ginny slumped in shock.

"I thought they were joking." She seemed to be feeling worried.

"The waiting for the test is the worst. They don't tell you anything about what's going to happen."

Ginny nodded, a light of determination flaring in her eyes.

"I'm going to go to Griffindor." She decided just as Mrs. Weasley opened the door to tell us to go to sleep.

I couldn't sleep.

This was so... different from what I was used to.

"Shh!"

"You're going to wake them up!"

I sat up, listening intently to the whispers coming from the stairs. I slid out of bed, pulling on some day clothes before opening the door and looking out. Ron and the twins were sneaking towards the front door.

"What are you doing?" I hissed.

They whirled around, guilt stamped upon their faces before they saw who it was. One of the twins motioned for me to come closer.

"We're going to get Harry."

"We thought that he was just ignoring our prat of a brother..."

"But dad said yesterday that Harry got a notice for using magic..."

"So when you said Harry hadn't been writing you..."

"We figured something was up..."

"So now we're going to get him."

I paused.

"How are we going to get there?"

Ron looked startled.

"We're not taking you."

"Would you rather I woke up the rest of the house?"

There was no way I was going to stay behind and wait while they went to get Harry.

"Come on then, and keep quiet." Whispered one of the twins after they shared a look.

The four of us left the house and snuck over to the shed. A blue Ford Anglia sat inside.

"We're going to drive there?"

"We're going to fly there." Ron corrected me as they got into the seats. I followed suit.

"You mean, like, flying through the air?" I asked skeptically as (Fred?) started up the car. My answer came as the car left the shed and rose smoothly into the air, wheels skimming over the clouds.

"Sweet Orange." I breathed as I stared out of the window.

"What was the address again Ron?"

"I think it was forty, Private drive in Little Whining?"  
"It's number 4, Privet Drive in Little Whinging." I corrected him. I had written out the address at least several dozen times that summer, more than enough to memorize it.

We flew in silence for a while before Fred dipped under the clouds.

"On your right!" George pointed to a clump of dark buildings. The car went lower and lower, the houses came closer, and we found ourselves in a neighbourhood with dim street lights.

"Okay, now we just need number four..."  
"There!" I pointed.

"Why are there bars on the window?" George frowned.

"I'm guessing that's Harry's bedroom." Ron said. "His relatives don't like magic from what he's said."

Fred brought the car close to the window, and sure enough, Harry was lying on a bed in that room, asleep. Ron rapped the window sharply and Harry stirred, pulling his glasses on and blinking sleepily at the window. Then his eyes widened in shock. His mouth dropped open and he crawled over, raising the glass so we could talk to each other.  
"Ron! What... How did you..." He stared at the car in utter disbelief.

"Hi Harry!" I greeted him cheerfully.

"How's it going?" Asked George.

"Dad came home and said you'd gotten a warning for using magic in front of muggles." Ron informed him. "You know we're not allowed to use magic outside of school."

"Bit rich coming from you." Harry looked at the car pointedly.

"This doesn't count." Fred chipped in.

"Look, can you tell someone what's happened?" He looked urgent. "My aunt and uncle say they're not going to let me go back to Hogwarts, and I can't magic myself out because the ministry will think that's the second time I've done magic this week, and I'll be expelled."

"Stop babbling. We've come to take you home with us."

"But you can't magic me out either."

"Don't need to." Ron grinned and nodded towards the twins. "You forget who I've got with me."

"Tie this around the bars." I handed Harry a rope from George and he began to wind it around the bars.

"Now stand back." Ron warned.

"If the Dursleys wake up, I'm dead." Harry sounded nervous, but got out of the way. Fred began to drive forward until the bars came out with a loud crunch. Ron and I pulled them up into the car.

"Get in!"

"But my trunk... My wand... My school stuff..." Harry looked torn between wanting to escape and wanting to have his possessions.

"Where are they?"

"In the cupboard under the stairs, but it's looked and so is my room."

"Step aside." Fred and George leapt out of the car and into the room, producing a hair pin and picking the lock.

"Take whatever you need from this room and pass it to Ron and Melody." Hissed Fred.

"Watch out for the bottom step, it creaks." Harry whispered back as they vanished around the corner. Harry darted around silently, scooping up various things and passing them along before the twins reappeared, carrying his trunk. They set it on end and began to slide it towards the car while Ron and I pulled carefully, all of us trying to make as little noise as possible.

I finally slid in with a clunk and the twins came back with Harry following behind. He was almost in when a loud screech of anger stopped him.

"THAT RUDDY OWL!"

"I've forgotten Hedwig!" He gasped, dashing back and grabbing her cage. Harry passed her to me and was about to clamber back in when the door crashed open to reveal a large man with a massive moustache, framed in the light from the hall. The scene was frozen for an instant before the man gave a loud bellow of rage and dove for Harry.

I dove too, pulling him forward so that the man only managed to grab his ankle. The Weasleys grabbed Harry's arms and began to pull fiercely.

"PETUNIA! HE'S GETTING AWAY! HE'S GETTING AWAY!" Harry suddenly shot forward, landing on top of me and pulling his uncle out of the window. He crashed into a flowerbed below and two more people hung out of the window, a woman and a chubby boy, both of them staring at us in horror.

"Put your foot down Fred!" Ron slammed the door shut and the car shot away towards the moon.

"See you next summer!" Harry rolled down the window and yelled back at the retreating figures. The four of us roared with laughter as Harry settled himself into one of the seats with a wide grin.

"Can you let Hedwig out? She'd love to stretch her wings." George handed me the hairpin and I jiggled it in the lock until it clicked open and Hedwig soared out to fly alongside us with a joyful hoot.

"So, what's the story? What's been happening?" Ron was impatient. I was curious too.

"And why haven't you responded to any of our letters?" I asked.

" I didn't even know you had been writing me letters until three days ago. A house elf called Dobby had been stopping my mail, and then he came to me to say that I couldn't return to Hogwarts this year because terrible things were going to be happening. I told him that I had to go back, because that was where I belonged and had my only friends. And then he asked me how good my friend were if they didn't write to me. So I started to defend you guys, but then I asked him how he knew I hadn't been getting any letters and he showed me a thick stack of them he had been hoarding all summer. He said he'd give them to me if I promised I wouldn't go back to Hogwarts. Every he almost let something slip about who was supposed to be doing the terrible things he'd start hurting himself. I tried to catch him and refused to say I wouldn't go back, so Dobby went downstairs and levitated a large pudding Aunt Petunia had made into the air and let it fall to the ground. It smashed and then the Ministry thought I had done the magic so they sent a letter warning me that I'd be expelled if I did any more magic outside of school. My uncle hadn't know I wasn't allowed to do magic, so they had been ignoring me, but after the pudding incident I was locked into that room."

A shocked silence followed his story. My mind was buzzing. All the visiony thingys I had seen in that hallway had come true. What did it mean?

I sat quietly as the boys discussed Dobby and who might have sent him. I was more worried about the terrible things that were supposed to happen this year. The sun began to rise and Fred lowered the car smoothly into the yard of the Burrow. We piled out and Harry looked around with a wide grin on his face.

"This is brilliant!"

"Okay, so Ron, you're going to take Harry up to your room and when mum calls us for breakfast you'll go downstairs like 'Mum, guess who showed up in the night' and mum will be all happy to see Harry and she'll never need to know we flew the car." Fred informed him.

"Alright then. Come on Harry, I sleep in the-" Ron froze, face turning a nasty shade of green. The rest of us turned to follow his gaze and saw Mrs. Weasley stalking across the yard, scattering chickens as she went.

"Ah."

"Oh dear." The twins actually looked frightened.

"So." She came to a stop in front of us with her hands on her hips.

"Morning Mum!" George attempted to sound cheery.

"Do you have any idea how worried I've been." Her voice was a dangerously silent whisper as she looked from one guilty face to the next.

"Sorry mum, but you see we had to-" Fred began to say before she exploded into the loudest shout I had ever heard. My ears were ringing as she yelled at her sons who cowered before her.

"_NEVER BROUGHT YOU UP TO BEHAVE LIKE THAT! AND DRAGGING MELODY ALONG WITH YOU TOO! SHE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED BECAUSE OF YOUR IRRESPONSIBILITY! YOU COULD HAVE CRASHED, YOU COULD HAVE BEEN SEEN..."_

The shouting seemed to extend for hours before she finally turned to Harry, who looked like he was about to bolt.

"I'm very glad to see you Harry, dear. Come in and have some breakfast."

He looked bewilderedly at Ron who nodded for him to follow her. I went after Harry and the Weasleys followed behind. Mrs. Weasley bustled around the kitchen, piling heaps of food onto Harry's plate and muttering under her breath about how irresponsible her sons were. I really felt awkward about her blaming them for having me come along. It wasn't exactly like I had been fighting tooth and claw to stay behind.

Ginny came blearily into the room, saw me and the boys, and saw Harry. Her eyes widened and she shrieked before dashing back out of the room.

"That's my little sister Ginny. She's been talking about you all summer." Ron whispered to Harry. Did Ginny have a crush on Harry?

"Yeah, she'll be wanting your autograph." One of the twins grinned at Harry, but fell silent under Mrs. Weasley's glare. We were just about finished our meal when an owl swooped into the kitchen and deposited a letter onto my plate before turning its attention to the remainder of my bacon. I was startled. I hadn't been expecting any mail, and I didn't recognize the owl. I picked up the letter and turned it over to see my name written on the front in Professor Sev's handwriting.

He had actually written to me!

"Who's that from?" I looked up. Fred (?) was grinning at me with a knowing expression.

"No one." I stowed it out of sight. There was no need for them to know about my time spent with Professor Sev. It just seemed like something I wanted to keep secret.

"Would this be the same 'no one' you asked us about those tracking charms for?" George leaned forward with a smirk and I felt my face growing hot. Professor Sev was _not _someone I wanted for a boyfriend at all. He was more like a... well, almost like a parent to me. I didn't know if I would consider him a 'father figure' since I had never had a father.

"I thought the tracking charms were only to help us." Harry looked at me curiously.

"That's why you refused to perform them!" Ron gasped, mouth hanging open. "You already had used them on some other boy!"

This conversation was getting decidedly awkward.

"What?" The twins were looking as though Christmas had come early.

"I do not have a boyfriend, am not looking for one, and am too young for one." I snapped.

"Who's the lucky boy?" Fred waggled his eyebrows at me. I shot him a death glare.

"No one."

"Then why don't you show us the letter? Or at least tell us who it's from?" George leaned back on his chair. Harry was looking like he didn't know what to think and Ron seemed incapable of speech.

"Because it's none of your business." I quickly stood up and brought my dishes over to the sink before heading for the sanctuary of Ginny's bedroom where no boys were allowed to follow. She was hurriedly rummaging through her clothes and whipped around when I entered.

"Oh! It's you."

"Yes, it's me." I flopped down on my bed and pulled out the letter.

"Who's that from?" I groaned and put my head in my hands.

"Not you too..."

"What do you mean?" Ginny abandoned her garment ransacking spree and bounced onto her bed.

"The boys somehow got the idea that I have a boyfriend and that this is a letter from him since I wouldn't tell them who it was from."

"And do you have a boyfriend?"

"NO!" I stared at her in horror. Great Oranges and Pomegranates, had everyone gone mental today?

"And you won't say who it's from because..."

"I really don't think they'd take it well."

Ginny looked perplexed.

"It's not someone from Griffindor."

"A Slytherin?"

"You are really too smart for your own good."

Ginny looked pleased, and then panicked.

"Do you think he'll think so too?"

"Harry?"

Ginny's face turned crimson and she buried her head in her pillow. I stared at her incredulously.

"You have a crush on him?" How in the name of Oranges did that happen?

"Are you joking?" She squeaked, reemerging with a look of disbelief. "He's the Boy-Who-Lived! He defeated You-Know-Who twice! He's a hero! Are you honestly telling me you don't like him?"

I rolled my eyes.

"I'm friends with Harry Potter. I do not have a crush on the Boy-Who-Lived. If you really think he's cute, develop a crush on Harry Potter and not the Boy-Who-Lived."

"But... he's... just... so..." Ginny seemed lost for words. I slumped onto the pillows and curled up to read Professor Sev's letter.

_Miss Gwetheren,_

_I am writing to inform you that you are expected to regularly update me on your health and performance. Being at the Burrow does not mean that you are allowed to slack off._

_Professor Snape_

I grinned.

Short and to the point.

Professor Snape had got to be one of my favourite teachers. He had this style about him that nobody could reproduce, even if they were polyjuicing him.

I pulled a fresh piece of parchment out of my bag along with a quill and some ink. Ginny had returned to the hunt for the perfect outfit to wear to impress the Boy-Who-Lived.

_Dear Professor Snape,_

_I am still alive and functioning well, and if I end up killing myself I will be sure to write to you to inform you of this change in my health status. _

_I am still practising my music and dancing, but I missed last night because I was in a flying car._

_I guess you'll want to know about that because I put it in... But anyhow, I went to pick up Harry with the twins and Ron because he hadn't replied to any of our letters and we were concerned about him. He is alive and well now, if that is of any concern to you. It probably is because if he dies you won't have anyone to gripe at in Potions class. Wait, I take that back. You'll probably gripe at Neville and call him a dunderhead because he blew up another cauldron. It's a good thing he can afford all the ones he goes through. You're probably wearing a sneer right about now because you're thinking of him, but remember that we can't all be geniuses at everything and you're probably a dunderhead in History of Magic like every other sane person. (Hermione doesn't count.) And now that I've mentioned her you're probably going to be upset because she's a little lion who acts like a Ravenclaw and you can't find anything to fault her on except for when she gives you twelve feet of explanation on the use of horned slugs in potion making instead of ten inches. She is indeed a Griffindor, because she wouldn't be hanging around with Harry otherwise._

_Ginny Weasley will probably be your next prodigy from Griffindor because I cannot see her in Slytherin. I think Harry would make a good Slytherin if he were resorted because he always finds ways to accidentally get in trouble and doesn't go looking for it like an actual Griffindor would. Please calm down now. It wouldn't do for Dumbledore to come to your office to find that his Potions Master has died of a coronary. Harry really isn't that bad at all. He just has a sort of magnetic attraction to dangerous situations that end up with people nearly getting themselves killed. But once you get past that factor and into the excitement, he really is a fun person to be with._

_I'm starting to ramble, aren't I..._

_Love,_

_Melody Gwetheren_

I paused, frowning at the ending. Should I leave it as 'love' or change it?

I finally decided to leave it as it was and put away my ink and quill before rolling up my letter and heading downstairs to look for the owl that had delivered my letter from Professor Sev. It was waiting on a perch in the kitchen, blinking sleepily. It hooted as I attached my new letter to Professor Sev to its leg before carrying it out of the house and allowing it to fly off.

The boys were coming up from the garden as it flew out of sight, all of them wearing large grins.

"Ever done de-gnoming before?" Harry called out as they came closer.

"Nope."

"Too bad you missed it then."

The front door opened and shut.

"Dad's home!" One of the twins exclaimed as we all hurried back into the house.

"What a night." Mr. Weasley's eyes were closed in exhaustion as he groped for the teakettle.

"What happened dad?" Fred sat down beside him.

"Nine raids." Mr. Weasley groaned. "And Mundungus Fletcher tried to put a hex on me when my back was turned."

"Did you find anything?" Ron asked eagerly.

"Just a few shrinking keys and a nose-biting tea kettle."

"Shrinking keys?" I echoed curiously. "Why would anyone make shrinking keys?"

"Muggle-baiting." Mr. Weasley explained without opening his eyes. "Of course, no muggle would ever admit that their key shrank, they keep on insisting that they just loose them, which makes it very hard to convict anyone. Muggles will go to great lengths to ignore magic, even if its sitting right in front of there noses. But the things our lot have taken to enchanting..."

"LIKE CARS, FOR INSTANCE?" Mrs. Weasley looked like she was going to run him through with a poker as he looked at her guiltily.

"C-cars, Molly dear?"

"Yes, Arthur, cars. Imagine a wizard who bought an old car and told his wife he was only taking it apart to see how it worked, when he was really enchanting it to fly!"

I sat quietly as Mr. Weasley attempted to defend himself, but did a very poor job at it. Ron took Harry with him when Mrs. Weasley started shouting again. I followed the boys up the stairs, and as they were passing Ginny's room she peeped out at them. When Harry looked back, she shut the door with a snap. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes and opened the door when the boys had gone. Ginny's face was crimson.

"He looked at me!" She gasped in half terror, half excitement.

"And you shut the door in his face."

Ginny was rendered speechless. I shook my head.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Our school letters came about a week later, along with a letter from Hermione that invited Ron, Harry and me to meet up with her in Diagon Alley on Wednesday. I frowned at the Defence Against the Dark Arts textbooks. We needed all of Lockhart's books on the subject. Sure, Lockhart was cute, but I didn't want to have to listen to some witch telling us how great he was. I wanted to learn the spells mentioned so I could be as great of a Dark Arts fighter as he was.

When Wednesday dawned, Mrs. Weasley took down a flowerpot from the fireplace.

"Please tell me that isn't floo powder." I eyed it warily and the Weasley boys began to snicker while Harry looked at me blankly.

"Floo powder?"

"Oh, Harry's never travelled by floo powder before. Sorry Harry, I forgot." Ron looked at his mother in concern.

"Never? But then how did you get to Diagon Alley to buy your school books last year?" Mr. Weasley queried.

"I went on the Underground-"

"Really?" Mr. Weasley gasped in awe. "Were there escapators? How exactly-"

"Not now Arthur." Mrs. Weasley interrupted. "Floo powder's a lot quicker, but goodness me, if you've never used it before-"

"He'll be alright mum." Said George cheerfully. "Harry, watch us first."

Fred stepped up, grabbed a pinch of powder from the pot and threw it onto the flames. He stepped in after it, calling out 'Diagon Alley' before the flames whipped him from the hearth. George copied him.

"After you." Mr. Weasley gestured for me to go ahead. I steeled myself and threw the powder on the flames.

"Diagon Alley."

The awful spinning started up again and I kept my eyes closed the entire time. A rush of cold air greeted me before I tumbled onto the floor in a heap. Strong arms picked me up, but the room wouldn't stop spinning. Whoever it was that was holding me let go and I almost fell again, but managed to grab onto someone.

A sudden shock, like one of static electricity shot through my arm.

The world righted itself and I discovered that I was looking at a startled boy with curly hair.

"Are you alright?"

"I-I think so." I managed to steady myself. Fred and George were laughing at me as Mr. Weasley came through. I let go of the boy with an apology. He went off with his parents, shooting curious glances back at me. Was he talented too? That particular jolt hadn't knocked me out this time.

"Where's Harry?"

"What do you mean?" I turned to face Mr. Weasley.

"Harry went through before me."

The world froze. Harry wasn't here. What had happened to Harry?

Ron emerged from the fireplace, followed by Percy, Ginny and Mrs. Weasley.

"Harry isn't here." Mrs. Weasley gasped and clapped her hands to her mouth. I tried to ignore her. I was scared enough already without having her panic affect me.

_Melody?_

_Lisa?_

_Are you at Diagon Alley?_

_Yes, we just flooed and Harry was with us but now he's gone!_

_I was actually just about to inform you that he's with Hagrid,making his was from Knockturn Alley towards Gringotts._

_THANK YOU!_

"We should go look for him." I went towards the door into the alley and the boys followed behind. I rapped the stones with my wand and the entrance melted into view. Mr. Weasley joined us and we hurried down the street. I scanned the crowds for Hagrid and finally saw him with Harry and Hermione.

"There!" I pointed, breaking into a sprint.

The male Weasleys followed behind and we made our way towards Gringotts.

"Harry. We'd hoped you'd only gone one grate to far." Mr. Weasley panted. "Molly's frantic- she's coming now."

"Where did you come out?" Asked Ron.

"Knockturn Alley." Hagrid replied grimly.

"Brilliant!" The twins chorused together.

"I'm guessing it's not a good place." I commented. If the twins though coming out there was a good idea, it probably wasn't.

"We've never been allowed in." Ron looked enviously at Harry, who was covered in soot and holding onto his glasses which had been shattered.

"I should think not!" Percy declared pompously as Mrs. Weasley galloped into view with Ginny and began to attack Harry with a large clothes brush. Mr. Weasley fixed Harry's glasses with a tap of his wand and Hagrid left after being thanked profusely by Mrs. Weasley. Hermione led us towards her parents and Mr. Weasley went into transports of delight upon realizing that they were muggles. Harry and the Weasleys went off with one goblin to get to their money and I had to go on my own since there wasn't enough room for all of us in one cart.

When I returned to the surface, the others had already arrived and Harry was looking very uncomfortable for some reason. We agreed to split up and meet at Flourish and Blotts in an hour to get our school books. Mrs. Weasley set off with Ginny, Mr. Weasley took the Grangers to get a drink in the Leaky Cauldron, the twins went off together, Percy went on his own, and I decided to go off for a bit, but to meet up with Ron, Harry and Hermione in about twenty minutes. I wanted to talk to Lisa, if I could find her.

_Lisa? Are you still here?_

_**Last time I checked, Lisa was a girl's name.**_

_Nice to mindwhatever with you too._

_Meet us by Eyelop's Owl Emporium?_

_Got it._

"You're sure you'll be fine on your own?" Harry raised an eyebrow. I shot him a mutinous glance.

"Yes, dad. I'll meet you the Apothecary in twenty minutes."

We split up and I went off to Eyelop's. Blaise and Lisa were chatting to each other and grinned at me as I approached.

"Hey Melody! Had a good summer?" Blaise greeted me.

"Pretty good."

"We're about to go to get some... extra-curricular books. Want to come along?"

I was curious. Were the books about our talents?

"Sure."

Blaise was about to set off, but paused.

"Are you expected to be anywhere soon?"

"I'm supposed to meet up with Harry, Ron and Hermione at the Apothecary in twenty minutes."

"Should be enough time." Lisa decided. The three of us stayed in the shadows and Blaise turned onto a side street that was dark and dingy.

"Knockturn Alley." He gestured to the street ahead of us. So this was where Harry had been... Now I didn't blame Mrs. Weasley for being so thankful Hagrid had found him.

We went a little ways down until Blaise went into a small door on the right. Lisa and I followed. The door gave a silvery tinkle and an old man with long white hair pulled back into a ponytail came out of the back of the shop. I stared around at all the books that lined the walls. This shop had more of them than Flourish and Blotts!

"Welcome to Obscurus Books." The man greeted us quietly. Everything was so still. "Is there anything I can help you with?"

"We were looking for books on bonding, familiars, and wandless magic." Blaise told him. Lisa and I just let him do the talking. The man smiled a worn and tired smile.

"I see... I'm sure we can find something for you. But first, I must warn you that many of the books in here contain what is classified as the Dark Arts by the Ministry of Magic."

"How do they decide what is classified as 'dark' and what is not?" I asked, frowning.

"Excellent question. They classify the Dark Arts as the area of magic devoted to either killing or tampering with the magic of others."

"Tampering with the magic of others?"

"Yes..." He swept over to a shelf filled with books that had dark red covers and we saw that he only had one actual leg. The other was an ivory leg that ended in a claw. He set down four books on the counter.

"This one tells about Blood wards. Those wards are designed to keep out those who intend to cause harm to the one whose magic is fuelling the wards. The only way Blood wards can be created is if one person dies for another person, and the survivor is a blood relative. A powerful wizard or witch can then create a ward around the survivor if he or she lives with another blood relative. The ward will drain a good portion of their magic, so the wards are generally considered dark since being under the influence of the ward will reduce your power and prevent you from operating at the top of your strength.

"This book tells about curses similar to the Imperius, but as the Imperius is the most popular of the mind bending curses, these are not classified as Unforgivables. This next one tells about potions that can be used to force the consumer to tell the truth, force them to obey the creator, or diminish the power of the wizard of witch unlucky enough to come under its effect."

The man's voice had a hungry edge to it, as though he would love nothing more than to use those wards, curses and potions on anyone who set foot in his shop. Blaise and Lisa were looking uncomfortable, but I was enthralled.

"And the last one?"

I tried not to sound to eager, but I really wanted to know what it was about. These books may be considered dark and I would never actually use anything in them, but how can you fight against what you don't know?

"Eager, are we?" The man studied me more closely. I felt a light brushing around me, as though a breeze was flowing down from above.

"And sensitive to it..." He trailed off.

"Sorry, but we should really be going soon. We've got to meet up with some others in five minutes." Blaise cut in.

"Indeed." The man's gaze lingered on me for a few more heartbeats before he went to the back of the shop. Lisa started edging towards the door. Blaise looked like he wished he had never come in here. I stayed firmly put. The man reemerged with a small pouch.

"I believe you will find good use for this." He handed it to me. I looked at him in slight confusion. "But you must always remember, dark does not mean evil and light does not mean good." He picked up the books on the counter and slid them into the pouch, which expanded to fit them before shrinking again.

"Good day to you."

Blaise grabbed me by the arm and practically dragged me out of the shop, Lisa right behind us. Diagon Alley came into view and we split up, them to their shopping and me to the Apothecary to meet up with Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

**A/N Here you go! Next chapter up. Thank you to those who favourited or followed me!**

**Shadow**


	17. second, please!

Percy and I went through the barrier together. He strode off towards another prefect, a Ravenclaw girl, and I looked around for Hermione. She didn't seem to be on the platform so I figured she must be on the train already. I pulled my trunk into one of the empty compartments and set off to look for her.

"Melody!" I turned to see Lisa beckoning at me frantically. I went towards her.

"Hi-" She jerked me into the compartment and slammed the door behind me. Blaise was already in there, and so was the boy with brown curly hair from the Leaky Cauldron.

"Melody, this is Justin Finch-Fletchley. He's talented like us."

"I know." I had felt the shock when I touched his skin after all.

"What do you mean?" Lisa looked flabbergasted.

"We met at the Leaky Cauldron." Justin chipped in.

"And you didn't tell us?" Lisa sounded disgruntled and dropped onto one of the empty seats.

"We went off shopping and I never got to tell you."

"About that," Blaise sat up, "have you looked at the pouch he gave you at all?" I nodded. The bag had an undetectable extension charm on it from what I could tell, it was weightless and full of books but had room for many other books. There was a pocket in it with another expansion charm that I could store other things in.

"It's probably cursed." Blaise looked deadly serious. I shook my head.

"I would be able to tell if its cursed or not."

"Not if you didn't know how to look for the curse."

Then I remembered I hadn't told them about my bracelet. I lifted it up for them to see.

"This has detection charms on it and says the bag is safe." Blaise and Lisa stared at it as if it was a two-headed tomato. Justin perked up.

"Are those runes on it?" He asked eagerly

"I dunno."

"Can I look?"

I took off the bracelet and handed it to him. He ran his finger over the etchings, mouthing soundlessly to himself.

"So, what's your talent?" I leaned forward curiously.

Justin held out his hand and a small clump of earth formed in his palm. The earth rolled down to his fingertips and he pointed at my bracelet. The earth surrounded it and Justin flicked his wrist so that the earth flew into the air with my bracelet and flew across to me before dropping into my lap.

"Earth Elemental." He informed me proudly. "I can manipulate the air."

"Cool!" I picked up my bracelet and slid it back on. My wrist felt naked without it.

"What's yours?"

"Firamagus."

Justin looked up sharply.

"Are you serious?"

I nodded, taken aback by his reaction.

"You're in Slytherin?"

"Griffindor."

"Anyone for exploding snap?" Blaise looked slightly panicked and tried to change the subject, but was ignored.

"But I thought that only Slytherins used Dark Magic."

"What?!"

I stared at him in shock. Dark Magic?

"Yeah. Firamagi are considered 'dark' creatures by the ministry because of their affinity for Dark Magic."

I sat back, stunned. I had an affinity for Dark Magic?

"That's why you told me not to tell anyone I was a Firamagus?" I turned my attention to Blaise, who was looking very awkward. Was that why he though I should have been in Slytherin? "Is that why you decided to befriend me? To make sure I didn't turn dark?" I was feeling rather annoyed. So much for not judging each other because of their talents?

Blaise didn't respond.

I stood up and walked over to the door of the compartment. I was about to leave, but turned back to the three of them.

"Dark does not mean evil, and light does not mean good." I quoted the man from the shop before I left in search of Ron, Hermione and Harry. I found Hermione searching for me near the compartment I had my trunk in.

"Hi Melody! Do you know where Ron or Harry are?" I shook my head. Hermione bit her lip worriedly.

"I haven't seen them on the train at all." I frowned. Why not?

"Come on, let's sit down and let them come find us. We've probably passed them by accident, searching for each other." Hermione nodded uncertainly and we went into my compartment. Hermione set her book bag down beside her and dove into it, rummaging furiously until she pulled out _Break with a Banshee_. I looked at it in disgust.

"Why waste your time reading Lockhart's stuff?"

Hermione flushed.

"You're the one who was sooo eager to meet him and get your books signed by him before he pulled that stunt with _Harry_." She retorted. Now it was my turn to flush.

"I did not decide to dislike him because of him pulling Harry up to the front of the store like that! I don't like him because he's arrogant and conceited."

"Sure..." Hermione gave me a knowing look. I shot her a death glare before looking out of the window at the clouds.

"There's one that looks like a rabbit!" I pointed. Hermione abandoned her book to join me.

"There's one that looks like a dragon!" The one thing that could make Hermione abandon her precious books was clouds?

"There's a snail!"

"There's... a car in the sky?"

"A what?" I laughed.

"An actual blue car! It just dipped under the clouds before going back up again. A flying car!"

At those words, the apartment blurred and I saw the car, but it wasn't in the clouds...

_A blue car was being smashed by a tree, while two boys struggled to escape it..._

_Ginny was showing me a book, writing in it eagerly... and the book was writing back._

_There were words in blood staining the walls as Harry, Ron, Hermione and I stared at them in horror while water pooled on the floor..._

_Justin and Lisa were lying on the floor, cold and stiff, while Nearly Headless Nick was a smoky black instead of his usual pearly silver..._

_Harry was holding a sword above his head as a massive serpent lunged at him. Harry cried out in pain as the one of the serpent's fangs sunk into his arm, splintering off. The giant beast had impaled itself on the sword, and now lay thrashing on the ground before becoming still. Harry sank to his knees, wrenching the fang out of his arm. He looked at it in numb disbelief as a young man came laughed in triumph. "And so ends the great Harry Potter-"_

"Melody!"

I gasped and shook myself. Hermione was staring at me with wide eyes.

"Sorry." I apologized. I didn't know why that had happened. Just like the hallway, I had seen things that hadn't happened. What was going on?

"Melody... your-your- eyes..."

"My eyes?"

What had happened to them?

"They were- they turned... golden..."

"Golden?"

"And-and you were all rigid..."

"I was?"

Hermione nodded, staring at me like I was some sort of alien.

"What... was it?"

"I have no idea."

I slumped back in my seat before looking out the window again. A blue car dipped under the clouds for a few seconds before pulling back up again.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

I stood still, trying to force myself to keep from hexing Malfoy. I couldn't think of a curse that would be bad enough to make him pay for that insult.

"You'll pay for that Malfoy!" Ron's wand backfired, knocking him over onto the grass

"Ron! Are you alright?" Hermione gasped in horror. He opened his mouth to answer, but slugs came up instead. A buzzing filled my ears as the Slytherin Quidditch team roared with laughter. A red haze was starting to cloud my gaze as my eyes fixed on Malfoy, doubled over and banging the ground as his sides shook. I slowly drew my wand, clenching it tightly.

"Why don't the rest of you go and get to know some of Weasel's slugs?" Malfoy finally regained control and began jeering again. "After all, even slugs are a major step above blood traitors and mud bloods like him and Granger and Potter!"

"Melody!" Two sets of arms were grasping my shoulders and pulling me away from Malfoy, who was no longer laughing but whimpering in pain.

The haze cleared and I saw Malfoy lying curled up on the Quidditch pitch, arms over his stomach. His legs were bent at odd angles and his face was scaly and bloody. The rest of the players and Colin Creevey were all staring at me with a mixture of shock, disbelief and- fear?

I stepped backwards, calmly pulling myself away from the Weasley twins who were looking like they were ready to bolt if I aimed my wand at them. I calmly returned my wand to its holster.

"Malfoy. If slugs are a major step above blood traitors and muggle borns, I'd hate to even take time to consider how much higher they are than pure blooded bigots like you who aren't even worthy to lick the grit off the shoes of wizards who can actually look past their prejudices to see that being pure blood doesn't make you perfect."

I turned and strode away towards the castle. If I stayed, I was probably going to loose it again.

Woe betide Lockhart if he decided to cross paths with me now.

Words failed me to describe the person who could do nothing but prattle on about how amazing he was. The fraud had tried to say that Harry and Ron were lying about the barrier at King's Cross not letting them take the train but fly the Weasley's car to Hogwarts. The git had set a cageful of pixies loose in the classroom after giving a test that showed how much we remembered of what he said about how 'amazing' he was.

Professor Sev found me in the library about fifteen minutes later.

"Miss Gwetheren."

"Sir?" I looked up, unashamed at my actions towards Malfoy earlier, which he had fully deserved.

"Come with me."

I set down my book and followed him to Dumbledore's office. Professor McGonagall was there as well, looking simply furious. Dumbledore was looking graver than ever.

"I suppose you know why you are here Miss Gwetheren?"

"Because I gave Malfoy what he deserved?" I raised my head defiantly.

"What he deserved?" Professor McGonagall repeated incredulously. "Mr. Malfoy is in the hospital wing, being treated by Madam Pomfrey for severe damage. He is going to be there for at least two days!"

"Maybe he'll remember that next time he considers calling my friend a mud blood." I spat furiously. How dare she try to make me feel guilty for what I did!

A shocked silence greeted my words.

"Regardless of that fact," Dumbledore began but I cut him off.

"So now it's all my fault that he's a git and now he's going to get off free?"

"Miss Gwetheren, hold your tongue!" Professor Sev snapped angrily. I clenched my jaw. He was probably the only staff member I currently held in high respect. Dumbledore refused to explain why he tried to get Harry killed and Professor McGonagall stood up for Malfoy.

"You do not think he's been punished enough?" I felt a push against my mind and slammed up my Occlumency shields, viciously lashing back at the intrusion. Dumbledore jerked back, eyes widening in shock. I felt a vindictive pleasure in knowing that I had taken him off guard.

"No, I do not. If you just let him get away without being punished by a professor he'll just make sure that the next time he attacks my friends he does it in the presence of a teacher who can come to his rescue if we retaliate."

"Nevertheless, we cannot excuse your behaviour." Professor Dumbledore had regained his composure and seemed to be scrutinizing me closely. "Twenty points will be taken from Griffindor and you will have detention with Professor Snape for the rest of the month."

I nodded, turning to leave.

"Miss Gwetheren?"

I turned back.

"Yes?"

Dumbledore ignored my tone.

"Please try to understand that Mr. Malfoy is only quoting things he has been brought up to know. He is not fully responsible for his actions today."

"I beg to differ sir. Malfoy has been exposed to the real world and made his choice to act this way. He has had the time to choose whether or not he is going to be a parrot or decide what he will act like."

"Would you not say that you act the way you do because of the way you have been brought up?"

I turned to face him fully.

"If I were to act like I have been brought up, I would not have made any real friends here because for the most part of my life I was moving and did not have a chance to develop any real relationships with others my age. I would most likely have made friends with Malfoy because my time in the orphanage taught me that the easiest way to make a name for yourself is to suck up to those in power and feed off of theirs. I chose to turn my back on those things, and I will continue to turn my back on what I disagree with."

Dumbledore sighed.

"Your mother was a very forgiving person who believed in second chances, and believed that there was a good part to everyone."

"I believe there are second chances for those who truly want to change, not for everyone who wants to escape trouble by asking for one. And I believe there is a good part in many people, but I will not be friendly and trusting to those whose evil outweighs the good. I'm not my mother."

This time, none of the occupants in the room stopped me as I left.

I strode down the staircase and out into the hallway where Blaise was waiting for me.

"Melody, can we... talk?'

"Isn't that what we're doing?"

He looked taken aback at my sharp retort, but I didn't have the energy to apologize. I was too busy trying to stay at the top of my classes, study the books that were in the pouch the man had given me, and figure out what the orange was going on with the whole 'vision' thing.

"I meant, about the whole... Dark Magic."

"About you not trusting me because I'm supposedly good at it?"

"I trust you!" He snapped. "Maybe when we met I didn't, but now I've gotten to know you and I don't think you're the kind of person to go abusing your talent!"

"Then what did you want to talk to me about if it wasn't that?"

"About what others would say about it." He looked more serious than I had ever seen him. "If people discover your affinity, they will most likely either try to exploit your talent for their own good or turn on you and say you're the next Dark lord. You can't tell anyone!"

"I know."

I was just so tired of all of it. I was tired of being a Firamagus. Was it too much to ask that I could be a normal person?

I went back to Griffindor tower. Ginny was the only person there since most of the occupants were taking advantage of the first Hogsmeade trip of the year or the glorious weather outside.

"Hey Ginny!"

She looked up.

"Hi Melody! Why aren't you outside?"

"I could ask you the same thing." I flopped down on the couch beside her. "I went in after hexing Malfoy and got detention for it. What about you? Why are you inside?"

Ginny looked around carefully before looking back at me.

"Can you keep a secret?" She asked in a hushed voice. Uh, yeah?

"Yes." I nodded.

"Will you keep my secret?" Ginny whispered with anxious eyes. My curiosity was piqued. Whatever the secret was it couldn't be too bad...

"I swear on my life and magic that I will not tell people this secret you are about to tell me unless you give me permission."

Ginny nodded before taking out a thin black book from behind her back.

"This is my secret."

I stared at it in confusion. A diary?

"Let me show you." Ginny opened the diary and took out a quill.

_Dear Tom,_

_I have decided to share our secret with Melody. She has promised not to tell anyone else about it._

That was weird. Why would Ginny call her diary 'Tom'? Then the ink glowed and sank into the page, leaving it blank for a moment before new words began to ooze out in the ink Ginny had just written with.

_Hello Ginny_

_I am glad to hear that you have found someone else you trust enough to confide in._

My jaw dropped. Ginny smirked at my expression.

"Here. You write to him. Just tell him your name and stuff and he'll write back."

She handed me the diary. As I reached for it, I felt a bad tingling in my fingers. Something about the book was wrong. I cautiously took it from her and dipped a quill into Ginny's ink. I paused, wondering what to write.

_Hello Tom. I am Melody._

_Hello Melody. It is good to meet you. My name is Tom Marvolo Riddle._

_Exactly how does this diary work? Are you currently sitting somewhere and writing to me?_

_Oh, no. I made this when I was sixteen. Ginny says it's been fifty years since then._

_So... you're something like a memory preserved in here?_

_Something like that, yes indeed._

_Why would you want to preserve your memory if you're dead?_

_To help whoever finds themselves in the same position I did back then. _

_What position?_

_Do you know of the Chamber of Secrets?_

_I'm not sure..._

_Legend had it that Salazar Slytherin built a secret chamber at Hogwarts that contained a horror that only his heir could command. The legend was true. The chamber was opened in my fifth year and a girl died because of it. I caught the culprit, but he was not imprisoned and the power to command the horror was not taken from him._

_Who?_

_You don't have to take my word for it you know. I can take you inside my memory of the night I caught him._

I stopped, frowning at the book. How in the name of apples could he do that? No mere memory could do that I was quite sure.

_Let me show you._

_Fine._

The pages of the diary began to ruffle as though blown by a strong wind until they fell open in June. A small scene began to play on one of the pages, and grew until Ginny and I were sucked into it. We landed on our feet in Dumbledore's office, but it was winter and a different man was sitting in the chair behind the desk. There was a knock on the door and a tall boy with jet black hair entered, ignoring the two of us just like the man. The two of them spoke together, the boy Riddle asking for permission to stay at Hogwarts over the summer and the headmaster Dippet explaining that it was impossible since a girl died and there had been different attacks. Riddle left after asking if he could stay if the heir was caught. Ginny and I followed Riddle down the hallways, where he spoke to a much younger Dumbledore briefly, and into the dungeons. He hid inside one of the larger ones and waited until someone large shuffled past. Ginny gasped.

"It's Hagrid!" She hissed in shock.

I watched in disbelief as Riddle proceeded to confront Hagrid, accusing him of setting a monster on students and opening the door that Hagrid had been trying to get the creature out of. Ginny shrieked as an acromantula scurried out, and the scene whirled as Riddle tried to kill it but was stopped by Hagrid. Next thing I knew, we were back on the couch, the diary lying innocently on my lap.

I glared at it before picking it up and writing one word.

_Orange_


	18. Dungeon of detention

That evening, Ron and Harry and I went for our detentions. The two of them had to go with Filch and Lockhart, but I went down to the dungeons for my punishment with Professor Sev.

"Good evening sir."

I stepped inside the dungeon and looked around, slightly perplexed. There were no dirty cauldrons in a pile in the corner for me to scrub, no ingredients out for me to organize... basically nothing that I would expect from a detention with Professor Sev. The only thing that looked unusual was the fact that there was only one table in the centre of the room while the others had been pushed to the side along with all the chairs.

"Miss Gwetheren." Professor Sev walked over to the table and placed a white cube on it. I stared at it curiously. What was it supposed to do?

"Do you know what this is?"

"No, sir."

"It is a training cube, used in other schools to train their students in spell casting."

I was really lost now. Why was that being used during a detention?

"Do you know why I asked to handle your detentions?"

"No, sir."

Professor Sev pulled out a sheet of parchment and handed it to me silently. The temperature in the dungeon dropped dramatically. It was a list of all the spells I had used on Malfoy, and most of them I had taken from the books I had gotten from the man at Obscurus Books.

"Do you know what kind of spells you used?"

I was silent. How the Orange was I supposed to explain this?

"Do you know why Dark magic is considered Dark?"

"Because its main purpose is to either kill your opponents or tamper with their magic."

Professor Sev stared at me in shock.

"Where did you hear that?"

I shrugged.

"I don't know their name."

"What did they look like?"

"It was an older man with long white hair-"

"And a peg leg." He finished, almost talking to himself. "I might have known."

"Do you know him sir?"

Professor Sev gave me a calculating look, as if unsure of how much information to trust me with.

"We've met." He said shortly. "But if he's the one who gave them to you..."

"Sir," I decided to trust him with a part of my secret, "I... I've got an affinity... for Dark Magic."

Silence hung thickly in the dungeon.

"Who told you that?" Professor Sev finally asked.

"I can't tell you." I dropped my eyes to my shoes. I wouldn't betray my fellow talented students, even if they weren't all my best friends.

"But you trust this person?"

"Yes, sir."

"An affinity for Dark Magic... You were also told by this person not to tell others, weren't you."

I nodded.

"Yet you told me, without me asking."

"I trust you sir."

I looked him in the eyes. A strange mixture of emotions was playing in them that I couldn't decipher. It was Lisa's area of expertise after all.

"I asked to oversee your detentions to assist you in gaining control of your magic, so that if you go on a cursing spree again you do not use spells that would land you in Azkaban."

"Oh." I shivered. I definitely didn't want to go to prison.

"That is why I brought this training cube here. You are to aim your curses at it, and if it turns blue you have performed the curse correctly. If it is green, you have underpowered it. If it is red, you have overpowered it. Practising how much energy you use in your spells will help you in a duel, as when you overpower your spells you will be drained much faster than if they were executed properly. You will be able to sort your spells by power usage, and train yourself to make a mental list of the spells you will use in your fights."

I nodded.

"Having an affinity for Dark magic means that you will master the Dark curses faster than most people. It does not mean that you have free reign to use them as you please. If ever I find you using a Dark curse in this school in a situation that is not life threatening, I will personally make sure you regret it."

I felt like shrinking into nothing as he finished. Professor Sev had a dangerous glint in his eyes.

"I understand sir."

"Then let us begin..."

OoOoOoOoOoOo

September whizzed by, with my detentions going fairly well as I figured out how to train myself. Most of my Transfiguration spells were overpowered, while my charms were either properly or underpowered. Ginny was still writing to Tom and I still didn't like it, especially as her marks started to slowly decline and she seemed to be getting more tired with each passing week. October was the season of colds, and when Percy forced Ginny to take some of Madam Pomfrey's Pepper Up potion the steam from her ears combined with her flaming red hair made it look like her head was on fire.

I had been meeting with Blaise and Lisa in the Room fairly regularly, but Justin had somehow got it into his head that because of my talent I was not to be trusted and wouldn't come if I was there. I felt guilty, remembering how I hadn't trusted Lisa in my first year. I hoped that Justin and I would make up, but in the meantime I spent more free time with another Hufflepuff, Cedric Apple Juice Diggory. Justin was horrified to discover that I was corrupting a member of his house. Cedric was fairly busy with school work, since he was a fourth year, but the two of us had fun talks and discussions about apples, school work, Quidditch, and life in general.

"Hey Blossom!"

I turned with a smile.

"Hi Apple Juice!"

Blaise and Lisa were in the room with Justin that evening, but I had the evening off since I had already completed my potions essay.

"Whatcha doing?"

I shrugged.

"Nothing really. I'm done all my homework, so I have the evening off."

"Want to come flying?"

"Sure! I'll go ask Harry if I can borrow his broom."

I dashed off to Griffindor tower to see Harry in conference with Ron and Hermione.

"Hi Melody!" Hermione waved me over.

"Guess what?" Harry looked like he didn't know whether or not to be excited.

"What?"

"We've been invited to Nearly Headless Nick's Deathday party on Halloween."

"Deathday party?" I asked, startled. Why on earth would someone want to celebrate the day they died?

"Yep! Think you'll come?"

"Sure!" I shrugged. Why not? "Hey, Harry?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I borrow your broom for the evening?"

"What for?"

"I'm going flying with Apple Juice."

Hermione rolled her eyes. She just didn't get the point of his nickname.

"Alright." Harry headed up to his dorm to get it and I sat down to wait.

"Melody?" Ron looked up at me hopefully.

"No."

"But I didn't even ask you the question!"

"Do you honestly expect me to believe it wasn't something along the lines of 'Melody, may I please copy your potions homework'?"

Hermione tried to turn her giggle into a cough, but I came out as a very peculiar strangled squeak. Ron looked at her in concern.

"Hermione? Are you alright?"

Hermione bit her lip, trying not to laugh. I forced myself to look straight ahead.

"Is it some girl thing that makes you loose your voice?"

I couldn't help it anymore. I started giggling and Hermione lost it. The two of us broke into laughter at Ron's expression as he tried to figure out what was going on. Just when we had almost regained control, Harry returned and stopped at the bottom of the stairs. The confused look on his face set the two of us off again.

"What did you do Ron?"

"I have no bloody idea! I was just asking Hermione what was wrong with her voice and they got like this!"

I finally managed to quell my laughter and stood up. Harry handed over the broom.

"Please don't break it. I'd hate to have to get another one because you took a laugh attack in midair."

I barely kept from laughing again.

"Thanks!"

I went down the stairs towards the grounds. I had finally managed to figure out that route without getting lost.

_Kill... Let me kill, rip, tear..._

I froze at the sound of the awful voice, full of cold malice and hatred and death. Nobody was around. I cautiously drew my wand, looking behind me to see if someone would jump out at me.

_Ssso long... Let me rip, kill, tear..._

The voice seemed to be moving upwards, away from me. What kind of animal would do that? Yes, I could tell that it was an animal. I was a Firamagus after all.

Apple Juice was waiting for me with his broom in hand.

"Ready to go?"

I nodded, beaming. Flying was definitely one of my favourite activities. The two of us went down to the pitch and mounted our brooms, kicking off and doing laps to warm up. A light rain sprinkled down on us, but we ignored it.

"Blossom?"

"Apple Juice?"

"Do you think you could give me some advice?"

I stopped my broom and turned to face him. Apple Juice was looking quite nervous.

"About what?"

"Girls."

"Depends what you want exactly." I took off again and the two of us began to fly in spirals and random patterns.

"How can you tell if a girl would be willing to go out with you?"

"It depends on the girl."

"Well, that's no help."

"What girl?"

"Cho Chang."

I slowed down.

Cho Chang...

All I really knew about her was that she played on the Ravenclaw Quidditch team as Seeker, same position as Harry.

"What do you know about her?"

"She loves flying and Quidditch, Charms, gold jewellery, and reading romance novels. Her favourite flower is a daisy, her favourite colour is pink, and she prefers strawberry ice cream"

I smirked. She sounded almost like a girly girly, but if she was she wouldn't be playing Quidditch. She'd be too afraid of breaking a nail.

"Sounds like someone you should ask out in a very romantic way."

"What d'you mean?"

"Maybe be a secret admirer." I suggested.

"How?"

I thought for a moment.

"You could send her a flower each day with a little note saying something sweet about her. Then, some time later, you could send a note asking her to meet you at some place in Hogsmeade on one of the weekends and ask her out if she shows up. If she doesn't show up, then you should probably consider someone else."

"And if she does show up?"

"Take her out to some romantic place."

"Like where?"

"I don't know! I've only been to Hogsmeade once and I didn't get a good look at what there was. Maybe you should go scouting for a good place next Hogsmeade weekend."

The sky was growing dark and the two of us returned to the ground. We walked back to the castle in silence. When we reached the entrance, I turned to Apple Juice.

"I'm going to have to study her now."

"And why's that?"

"To make sure she's good enough for my honorary big brother."

Apple Juice pulled me into a hug.

"And if ever a guy gets interested in you, you'll have to send him to me to make sure that I can approve of him being my honorary little sister's boyfriend."

I beamed at him before we left to go our own ways. Friends are the family we get to choose for ourselves.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Halloween came, and in the evening I went down to the dungeons with Harry, Hermione and Ron. The passageway was lined with candles that burned a ghostly blue, making the four of us look like we weren't actually living humans. When we stepped into the dungeon the celebration was being held in, we were amazed by all the ghosts.

"Welcome, welcome. So glad you could come." Nearly Headless Nick sounded very somber and mournful as he swept off his hat and bowed to us.

"It's cold!" I hissed to the other three. Our breath was fanning out in front of us.

"Let's keep moving then." Harry whispered.

"Just be careful not to walk through anyone." Ron reminded us. Hermione gave an unconscious shudder at the thought. I recognized some of the ghosts, but most of them were unknown to me.

"Turn back, turn back, I don't want to talk to Myrtle." Hermione swung around abruptly.

"Who?" I hadn't met a ghost by that name before.

"Moaning Myrtle. She haunts a toilet on the third floor."

"She haunts a toilet?" Harry asked incredulously.

"Yes, and it's been out of order all year because she keeps having a tantrum and flooding the place."

"Lovely person." I commented, making a mental note to never use that washroom for anything.

"Look! Food!" Trust Ron to be the one to discover the food. The four of us moved towards the table, but stopped in disgust as we discovered that it was all mouldy and disgusting. One ghost floated through a maggoty haggis with his mouth open.

"Can you taste it?" Harry looked sick.

"Almost." The ghost sadly floated away.

"I expect they've let it rot to give it a stronger flavour." Ron leaned forward to inspect the food. I shuddered.

"Can we move please? I feel sick."

I agreed with Hermione. The four of us turned away, only to be confronted by Peeves.

"Hello Peeves." Harry said cautiously. You never knew what Peeves was going to do. Peeves was definitely the most cheerful being in this dungeon, dead or alive. He was wearing a large grin and a bright orange bow tie.

"Nibbles?" He offered us a bowl of fungus covered peanuts.

"No thanks." Harry politely declined for us.

"Heard you talking about Myrtle." Peeves turned his attention to Hermione. "Rude you was. OI! MYRTLE!" He bellowed across the room.

"No! Please don't tell her what I said! I really don't mind her, I just- Hello Myrtle!" Hermione plastered a smile on her face as she addressed the glum ghost of a girl.

"What do you want?" Myrtle sounded gloomy and depressed.

"Miss Granger here was just talking about you!" Peeves informed her.

"Just saying how-how nice you look tonight! Wasn't I?" She elbowed Ron and Harry in the ribs, but I was on Harry's other side so I escaped.

"Yes!"  
"She was!"

"Don't lie to me!" Myrtle gave a half strangled sob and her eyes filled with tears. "I still have feelings you know! Do you think I don't know what they call me behind my back? Moaning Myrtle, Miserable Myrtle, Ugly Myrtle..."

"You've forgotten spotty!" Peeves hissed nastily. Myrtle burst into wailing sobs and fled from the dungeon, pursued by Peeves who was pelting her with peanuts and yelling 'spotty' at her.

"Oh, well." Hermione's smile slid off her face wearily. Then I felt it. A nudge that something bad was about to happen. Something very bad.

"Can we leave yet?" I actually agreed with Ron. Something is coming, and it's bad.

"Enjoying yourselves?" Nick floated over to us and we assured him that we were indeed. As if we'd actually say no...

_Something was emerging from the wall as the stones shifted to allow it passage... Ginny was standing there with her eyes shut, blood dripping on her hand as she dragged it over the wall to write. A cat meowed at her, bending its head to look at the water at Ginny's feet. It suddenly stiffened. Eyes still shut, Ginny picked up the cat by the tail and hung it from a candle bracket on the wall..._

"Come on!" I jerked back to the present with a start. Harry was tugging on my sleeve. Thoroughly disoriented, I followed him out of the dungeon with Ron and Hermione.

"Maybe dessert won't be quite finished." Ron sounded hopeful as we reentered the warmth of the main school.

"Your eyes went gold again." Hermione breathed in my ear.

"I honestly have no clue what happened." I murmured back.

"I've been looking it up in the library, but I can't find anything."

I was about to reply when I heard the voice again.

_Kill this time..._

Harry stumbled.

"It's the voice again!"

_I smell blood..._

"It's going to kill someone!" Ron and Hermione looked bewildered. I was shocked. Harry could hear the creature too?

_I SMELL BLOOD!_

"Come on!" He ran off after the voice and, being the Griffindor I was, I ran after him, along with Ron and Hermione who were willing to go charging into a situation were we had no idea what was happening or if there was danger. We ran into a passageway with water on the ground. My blood turned to ice. My visions...

"What's that thing hanging there?" Ron asked in a small voice. I looked up to see Mrs. Norris hanging by her tail from the candle bracket. And above her, in huge letters written in Ginny's blood, was a message.

_THE CHAMBER HAS BEEN OPENED_

_ENEMIES OF THE HEIR BEWARE_

"Let's get out of here."

"Shouldn't we try to help?"

"Trust me, we don't want to be found here."

As much as I could applaud Harry's inner Griffindor, I had to agree with Ron. We didn't want to be found here.

The sounds of students coming from the Great Hall filled the corridor as they came in from either end. Silence spread among them as they saw the writing and cat.

"Enemies of the heir beware! You'll be next mud bloods!" I turned to see Malfoy looking extremely pleased with himself.

"What's going on here?" At the sound of Malfoy's shout, Filch came hobbling along. He gave an awful shriek when he saw Mrs. Norris.

"My cat! Someone's murdered my cat!" His eyes swept over the students before coming to rest on Harry.

"YOU! You killed my cat! I'll kill you!"

"Argus!" Dumbledore had arrive, along with Professors McGonagall, Sev, and Lockhart. He swooped over to Mrs. Norris and took her down.

"Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, Miss Granger and Miss Gwetheren, if you could come with me please."

"My office is closest! Feel free... Just upstairs..." Lockhart was beaming like a tomato. We followed Dumbledore away from the crowd of curious students and into an office plastered with too many photos of Lockhart. Dumbledore laid Mrs. Norris on the desk and began to examine her. Professor McGonagall bent down beside him. Professor Sev hovered in the background, looking like he was trying not to laugh at Lockhart's obsession with himself as Lockhart prattled on about what he could have done if he had been there.

"... I know the very counter-curse that would have saved her-"

"Zip it or I'll zip it for you!" I spat at him furiously, pointing my wand at his chest. He fell silent immediately and I stowed my wand away, turning to face Dumbledore again. I honestly didn't care about Lockhart. What I cared about was the fact that these scenes I had seen were all coming true again. I could tell Dumbledore what I had seen, but that would reveal the fact that it was Ginny who had done that to Mrs. Norris... or someone controlling her...

Like Tom Riddle.

Why the orange did I promise on my life and magic to keep her secret?

If I told them about her, it would be telling about the diary controlling her, if it was. How do I get myself into these things?

"It's alright Argus. She's not dead." Dumbledore finally looked up.

"Not dead? But then why is she all stiff and frozen?"

"She has been petrified."

"Ah, I thought so." I sent a deadly look Lockhart's way and he fell silent again.

"But how, I cannot say."

"Ask him, ask him!" Filch pointed an accusing finger at Harry.

"No second year could have done this." Dumbledore assured him firmly. "It would have taken advanced Dark magic that no second year is capable of."

Dark magic?

I felt a chill. Just because I could use it didn't mean I would ever do something like that.

"He did it! He knows- He knows- He knows I'm a squib!" Filch was turning purple. "He read my letter!"

"I never touched Mrs. Norris!" Harry defended himself. "And I don't even know what a squib is."

"Rubbish! He saw my Kwikspell letter!"

"If I may speak, headmaster." Professor Sev stepped forward. "Potter and his friends may have simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time, but we do have a set of suspicious circumstances. Why weren't they at the feast?"  
"We were at Nearly Headless Nick's Deathday party!" Ron stepped forward. "In the dungeons! There were plenty of ghosts there who saw us, you can ask them yourselves."

"But why not go to the feast afterwards? Why go to that corridor at all?"

"Because we were tired and wanted to go to bed." Harry obviously didn't want to announce the fact that he was hearing a strange voice that Ron and Hermione couldn't hear.

"Without eating? I thought ghosts didn't provide food fit for living beings at their parties."

"We weren't hungry." Hermione spoke up loudly, trying to mask the noise of Ron's stomach.

"The smell kind of killed out appetites." I elaborated.

"Personally, I think that Potter is hiding something. I would have him taken off the Quidditch team until he is ready to be truthful."

If Harry was taken off the Quidditch team, he would be on his best behaviour to get back on and he'd probably leave off investigating the incident, which could lead to trouble. Was Professor Sev trying to trick Dumbledore into keeping Harry safe without letting the headmaster know he was trying to do so?

Who can understand the minds of these Slytherins?

"Really, Severus. There is no evidence the cat was hit over the head with a broomstick. I see no need to stop him from playing." Professor McGonagall defended Harry and her chance to win the Quidditch Cup fiercely.

"Innocent until proven guilty Severus." Dumbledore supported her. Professor Sev looked mutinous, Filch looked furious.

"My cat has been petrified! I want some punishment!"

"We will be able to cure her Argus. Professor Sprout has recently acquired some Mandrakes and we will be able to revive her when they are fully grown."

"I'll do it!" Lockhart butted in. "I must have done it a hundred times! I could whip up a Mandrake Restorative Draught in my sleep-"

"Excuse me, but I believe I am the Potions Master at this school." Hah! I wasn't the only one who detested Lockhart. Professor Sev agreed with me.

"You may leave." Dumbledore told me, Harry, Ron and Hermione. The four of us left as quickly as we could without running. We went up a floor and into a deserted classroom where Harry turned to face us.

"Do you think I should have told them about the voice I heard?"

"No." Ron didn't hesitate. That was one of his better qualities. He could be counted on to give his honest opinion, even if he could use a few lessons in tact... "Hearing voices no one can here is never a good sign."

"I heard it too." Harry looked at me, half hopeful that he wasn't mad and half hopeful he was and there was no real danger.

"You did?"

"Yes." I nodded. "Wanting to rip, tear and kill."

Hermione and Ron looked at the two of us worriedly.

"And what on earth's a squib?" Harry asked. Ron sniggered.

"Well, it's not actually funny, but seeing as it's Filch... A squib is someone born into a magical family but doesn't have any magical powers. Kind of like the opposite of a muggle born, except they're much rarer."

"What about the chamber?" Hermione asked. Ron frowned and shrugged.

"I think I might have heard a story about that from someone... maybe Bill... But I dunno."

A clock chimed twelve.

"Midnight." Harry went to leave. "We'd better get back to the Tower before Snape comes along and tries to frame us for something else."


	19. Duels and potions

"Harry! Melody! A boy in my class says you two-"

"Wonder what the boy says?"

"Probably that one of us is the heir."

Colin Creevey had vanished in the crowd before we could question him further, but I was pretty sure Harry's guess was right. Hermione had convinced Binns to tell us the legend of the Chamber of Secrets, and since then rumours had been flying wildly about who the heir could be. And guess what?

I was an heir of Slytherin, since I was a Firamagus, but I had not attacked the cat and did not have any intention of attacking anyone else, unless it was Malfoy or Lockhart and they really bugged me.

Ron snorted.

"People here'll believe anything. Don't let it bother you."

I tried to take his advice, but I was worried. Not just about my heritage, but about Ginny. I had found her in her dorm, covered in feathers and blood. She didn't seem to know how they had gotten there. I was positive that the diary was the culprit. I didn't know how Riddle had done it, but he had somehow forced Ginny to obey him. And the best part? I would literally die if I broke my promise to Ginny because my magic had recognized that I had sworn on my life. So I was furious with myself and stuck.

Professor Sev had loaned me the training cube and I would spend a good chunk of my time in the Room practising my spells. I was still spending time with Blaise and Lisa, but since they were splitting their time between me and Justin I tended to urge them to spend more time with him to work on the mind link. I was spending more time than before with Apple Juice. He had taken my advice and the two of us had a fun time teasing each other as we worked out things to write to her. Cho seemed nice enough, but I was still reserving my judgement on her.

Hermione and I were yet again competing for top of the first years, but I was ahead slightly, thanks to my training with the cube. I was indeed getting better at Charms, but I still preferred Potions and Transfiguration. DADA was now competing with History of Magic for least favourite class. I had actually managed to get into a stalemate with Ron in chess, but had yet to actually beat him. Harry was training hard for his first Quidditch match of the season.

Second year was packed.

Ron was having trouble with his wand. It had snapped during the crash into the Whomping Willow at the beginning of the year. One evening, Harry, Ron, Hermione and I were working on our charms homework and Ron pulled it out to get rid of some ink smudges. It lit his homework on fire instead. Ron growled and threw his wand into his bag and closed his textbook with a snap. Hermione closed her book as well.

"Who can it be? Who would open the Chamber?"

"Let's see," Ron rolled his eyes, "who thinks all muggleborns are scum and should be gotten rid of?"

"You mean Malfoy?" Hermione seemed sceptic.

"Of course! You only have to take one look at his rat face to know it's him. His whole family's been in Slytherin for ages, probably handing down the key to the Chamber from person to person."

"It's possible, I suppose." Hermione didn't sound fully convinced.

"He's probably bragging about it right now. If only we could get in there to hear him."

"There is a way we could."

"What?" All three of us looked at Hermione expectantly.

"We'd need to get into the Slytherin common room and talk to him without him realizing it's us."

"But that's impossible." Harry slumped in his chair.

"No it's not." I spoke up. My study and memorization of the potions Samhain had brewed was coming in handy now, even if it wasn't exactly for getting into my summer quarters. "All we'd need is some polyjuice."

"What's that?"

"A potion that lets you look like someone else for an hour. Professor Snape mentioned it in class two weeks ago. Don't you two pay attention to him?" Only Hermione would remember something trivial like that.

"No." Harry and Ron said together.

"We have better things to do than listen to Snape." Ron rolled his eyes. I frowned. Professor Sev wasn't a bad teacher. He had to be strict or the students might get lax with their attention and make a serious mistake with their potion that could lead to disaster.

"Well, we'd need to brew some, but getting our hands on the recipe will be tricky because the book it's in is bound to be in the Restricted Section."

"Well that's that scuppered." Ron slumped.

"I think we could get a note from a teacher to let us take it out if we were to pretend we only wanted it for the theory."

"Come on, no teacher's going to fall for that." Ron complained. "They'd have to be really thick..."

Really thick...

I began to grin. I glanced over at Harry and saw that he had an identical one on.

"What?" Hermione looked from one of us to the other, bemused.

"Think about what you just said Ron." I told him.

"They'd have to be a really thick teacher..." Ron began to say, but then his eyes lit up. "Of course!"

"Who?" Hermione demanded.

"Lockhart."

Hermione didn't believe us, but when the four of us were cloistered in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom with _Most Potente Potions _opened to the right page, she didn't say anything more to defend him.

"Ooh, this looks tricky." Hermione frowned and bit her lip.

"Not really. This is actually easier than I expected. But we should let the boomslang skin and bicorn horn mix together in a separate container, stirring them seven times counterclockwise and then-"

"Why don't we just let you make the potion?" Ron interrupted. I looked up, startled.

"Me?"

"Well, you are the one spouting all this stuff about the ingredients that will need to be done." Harry raised an eyebrow.

"And you did beat me in the potions exam last year." Hermione kept the bitterness in her voice to a minimum.

"And I'll do it again this year." I grinned back and her eyes lit up with the excitement of the challenge.

"So, we'll need to get the ingredients from the student cupboard and then from Professor Se-Snape's private stores."I continued.

"The easiest way would be to cause mayhem in his class to keep him busy for five minutes so you can get the ingredients." Hermione turned to the boys. "That can be your job."

Ron grinned feebly. Harry looked uncertain.

"You do realize how much we're going to have to steal."

"Well I think that attacking muggleborns is much worse than brewing up a difficult potion. But if you two want to chicken out-"

"No, we'll do it." Ron assured her. Hermione passed me the book and I began to study it.

This was going to be one interesting potions project.

"And how do you want us to cause enough mayhem?" Harry asked.

"Use one of Fred and George's fireworks to sabotage a Slytherin's potion." I suggested.

"I never thought I'd see the day Hermione would be persuading us to break the rules." Ron smirked at her. Hermione went pink.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Stealing the ingredients went smoothly, and I was ready to start the potion. The first game of the Quidditch season arrived the day after the theft, and I got up early in the morning to offer my services to first years who wanted to have their hair charmed red and gold and lions on their cheeks that actually roared. I ended up helping out several third years as well as Dean, Seamus, Ron and Neville. Parvati and Lavender used make up from their own supplies and Hermione didn't need any help. Harry looked much better on the morning of the match than he had last year. I went out to the stands with Hermione and Ron.

The whistle blew and the players took off to our screams and cheers.

I gasped as a bludger nearly unseated Harry.

"GO HARRY, GO!" I shrieked as it whizzed back. Harry ducked and one of the twins smacked it away.

Yes, I did agree that Harry had some sort of magnetic attraction to trouble, but I hadn't meant it literally! The bludger would leave Harry alone. The Slytherins were creaming us and Angelina was blocked from scoring by the other bludger because the twins were circling around Harry. Wood called a time out, and when the team took off again Harry set off on an aerial ballet. The bludger continued to focus on him. It was moving to fast for me to safely blow it up without accidentally hitting Harry.

The bludger smashed into his arm.

As it readied itself for another attack, Harry shot forward towards Malfoy. Malfoy darted out of the way and then Harry had grabbed the golden snitch no one had noticed until then. I pushed and jumped through the stands until I got to the bottom. Harry hit the ground and the bludger continued to attack him. He rolled this way and that way to avoid it.

"Bombarda!"

It exploded and I ran over to Harry as the pieces rained down on him. I didn't care about keeping the bludger for evidence. And I honestly didn't care that I had overpowered the spell. The bludger wasn't a threat anymore and that was all that mattered.

"Harry?" His right arm lay at an awkward angle. He raised his left and looked at the snitch in his hand with a goofy grin.

"We've won." His arm flopped back down to the ground and he blacked out. Hermione and Ron had reached us by now and several of the teachers were headed our way. Hermione gave a muffled squeak.

"Is he- he's not-"  
"No, just unconscious." I stood up.

"You blew up the bludger." Ron was staring at me as though he couldn't believe his eyes.

"Yep."

"That was bloody amazing!"

"Oh no, not you."

I turned back to Harry. He had regained consciousness and Lockhart was standing over him.

"Doesn't even know what he's saying." Lockhart was telling the anxious crowd. Professor Sev was trying to get through, but was blocked by a group of students who didn't even notice who was behind them.

"Can't I just go to the hospital wing?"

"He really should professor." Wood had come up. "Brilliant catch Harry, your best so far I'd say."

"Lie still Harry, this won't hurt at all." Lockhart twirled his wand and pointed it at Harry's arm before anyone could protest. It seemed to deflate, loosing all its shape. Lockhart had removed Harry's bones.

I saw red, but before I could curse Lockhart into oblivion Professor Sev had come between the two of us by 'accident', blocking my shot.

"Ah, yes. That can happen sometimes. Miss Granger, Mr. Weasley, Miss Gwetheren? Maybe you could help him up to the hospital wing so Madam Pomfrey can... tidy him up."

Harry stood up awkwardly, looking sick as he stared at his arm.

"I don't want a picture of this Colin." He snapped at the hyperactive camera-crazy first year who was aiming his weapon at Harry right that moment. I turned from Lockhart with a sneer and went up to the hospital wing with Harry, Ron and Hermione.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

I swooped back towards the empty Entrance Hall and changed back into a human. No one was there to see me switch.

"...If Albus hadn't been going for hot chocolate, he might have been killed." I shrunk into the shadows and listened intently to what McGonagall was saying. Who might have been killed?

"I feel so sorry for young Colin. His first year too!" Flitwick was looking very serious.

"And we have no idea what could have done it. But the Chamber has indeed been opened, and after Mrs. Norris and Colin both being petrified there will be quite a lot of panic among the students."

They continued to walk along, but I stayed where I was. Colin had been petrified? The Chamber had actually been opened? Was it Ginny and the diary again?

I ran back to Griffindor tower, into my room, and jumped on Hermione's bed.

"Hermione! Wake up!"

"Wha? Whozere?" She mumbled sleepily.

"Get up! There's been another attack by the heir!"

"What?" She sat up, rubbing her eyes.

"Colin Creevey's been petrified!" I hissed. Hermione froze, waking up completely.

"He's been petrified?" She gasped in horror.

"Just like Mrs. Norris."

"What should we do?"

"Get started on the polyjuice as soon as possible." I ducked under my bed for the ingredients, potions kit, and cauldron.

"I'll go get Ron." Hermione quickly pulled on some day clothes and dashed out of the dorm. I hurried down to the common room. It seemed like ages before Ron came out with Hermione.

"Where are we making it?" I asked.

"No one's going to look for us in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. It's the last place they'd look to find an illegal potion being made." Hermione pointed out.

"Alright then."

The three of us went as quickly as we could without attracting unwanted attention. Myrtle was ignoring us so we ignored her and locked ourselves into one of the other cubicles. Hermione started one of her portable waterproof fires as I placed the cauldron on top.

"Here Ron, you can chop up this fluxweed into small pieces. Hermione can you measure out seventeen cups of lacewings?"

I began to carefully study the recipe before setting the fire to the correct temperature.

"You're positive you know what you're doing?" Ron looked at me seriously.

"Completely."

"You had better be." Ron continued to cut up the fluxweed.

"It's me."

Hermione jumped and dropped the measuring cup into the toilet. Ron jerked his head up. I went and peered out the crack in the door. Harry looked back at me.

"Harry!" I gasped and unlocked the door to let him squeeze in. "You gave us such a fright."

"Yeah, sorry, but anyhow Colin Creevey's been petrified! They found him last-"

"We know." I returned my attention to the potion.

"We would've come to see how your arm was, but Melody overheard McGonagall and Flitwick talking about Colin so we figured we should get started on the potion. We've decided this is the safest place to hide it."

"The sooner we get a confession out of Malfoy the better." Snarled Ron. "You know what I think? He was in such a foul temper after the Quidditch match he took it out on Colin."

"There's something else. Dobby came to visit me last night." I looked up in shock. Dobby the insane elf?

"What?"

"He said that the Chamber had been opened before, and that he was the one who had stopped the barrier from letting me and Ron through and he had set the bludger to chase me. He was trying to get me sent home so that I would be safe from whatever the monster is."

"The Chamber of Secrets has been opened before?" Hermione stared at him in shock.

"That settles it." Ron sounded triumphant. "Lucius Malfoy must've opened the Chamber when he was at school here and now he's told dear old Draco how to do it. It's obvious. Wish Dobby'd told you what kind of monster's in there, though. I want to know how come nobody's noticed it sneaking round the school."

"Maybe it can make itself invisible. Or maybe it can disguise itself- pretend to be a suit of of armour or something. I've read about Chameleon Ghouls..."

"You read too much Hermione." Ron shook his head. "So Dobby stopped us getting on the train and broke your arm... You know what Harry? If he doesn't stop trying to save your life he's going to kill you."

I agreed with Ron. Harry looked rather uncomfortable.

"But what if he hurts someone else while trying to get me sent home?"

I shrugged.

"What can we do about Dobby? It's not as though we know who his family is."

Harry nodded.

"And since you're here anyhow, you can help by tearing up this knotgrass into small portions."

We spent the rest of the morning getting the potion started, but after that I was mostly on my own. There was not much the other three could do to help.

Everything seemed to be going smoothly with the potion, but I wished that the rest of the school was functioning as smoothly. The air was thick with suspicion and everyone travelled in packs. A roaring trade in protective devices soared underneath the professors' radars. November passed without further event, and in the third week of December a notice went up that there was a Duelling Club beginning. The four of us decided to attend, and in the evening almost all of the school returned to the Great Hall where a golden stage had been set up.

"Who do you think will be teaching us?" Ron wondered.

"Maybe it'll be Flitwick! I heard he was a Duelling Champion when he was younger." I was excited. The duelling sessions between me, Harry, Ron and Hermione had sort of petered out near the end of the first year before the Stone incident, and none of us had considered restarting again this year. I was looking forward to this club and had even taken a leaf out of Colin's book by bringing a camera along to photograph our instructor if he gave a demonstration before we began.

"I don't care who it is as long as it's not..." Harry ended with a groan. Of course it had to be Lockhart, walking onto the stage wearing purple robes and a white smile. Professor Sev joined him there. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all...

"Welcome! Welcome! Gather round... Can you all hear me?" Lockhart strutted forward. I caught Professor Sev's eye and he smirked at me. I felt a grin beginning to form. Lockhart was going down, hard.

Lockhart proceeded to prattle on about how awesome he was and that he had decided to share some of his skills with us.

"Let me introduce my assistant, Professor Snape. He tells me he knows a tiny bit about duelling himself and has sportingly agreed to help me with a short demonstration before we begin. Now, I don't want any of you youngsters to worry- you'll still have your Potions master when I'm through with him, never fear!"

"Wouldn't it be good if they finished each other off?" Ron whispered to us. I tried to hold back a giggle before aiming my borrowed camera at the two teachers. Professor Sev and Lockhart bowed to each other, Lockhart going drama queen style of course, and raised their wands.

"As you can see, we are holding our wands in the acceptable combat position. On the count of three, we shall cast our first spells. Neither of us will be aiming to kill, of course."

"I wouldn't bet on that." I bit my lip and tried to hold my camera steady as Harry's comment nearly set me into a fit of giggles.

"One... Two... Three..."

They swung their wands over their shoulders.

"Expelliarmus!" I snapped the photo. Lockhart was blasted off his feet by the overpowered disarming charm, being hurled right off the stage and into the wall before sliding to the floor in a crumpled heap. I couldn't help cheering along with some of the Slytherins. I just wished I had been the one to do that to him.

"Do you think he's alright?" Hermione was dancing on her tiptoes.

"Who cares?" Ron and Harry asked at the same time. I went back to rejoin them, putting the camera away with a large smile. I would definitely have to develop that photo.

"Well there you have it." Lockhart had tottered back onto the platform and was trying to smile again. "That was a Disarming charm. As you can see, I've lost my wand- ah, thank you Miss Brown. Yes, and excellent idea to show them that Professor Snape, but if you don't mind my saying it was only to obvious what you were about to do. However, I felt it would be instructive to let them see..."

Professor Sev was looking murderous.

"Enough demonstrating! I'm going to move amongst you now and split you into partners to practise. Professor Snape, if you would like to assist me..."

The two of them began to slowly move through the crowd, splitting them up into pairs. Lockhart had just paired Justin with Neville when Professor Snape arrived.

"Time to split up the dream team I think. Weasley, you can partner Finnigan. Potter-"

Harry and I moved closer together instinctively.

"I don't think so. Mr. Malfoy, come here. Let's see what you can make of the famous Potter. Miss Granger you can partner Miss Bulstrode. Miss Gwetheren-"  
He paused and looked around for a suitable candidate.

"I'll pair with her if you don't mind, sir." I looked behind me to see Apple Juice coming over. Professor Sev nodded.

"Alright then Diggory." He moved off towards Dean and Lavendar. Apple Juice and I moved slightly away from the other pairs.

"Ready to kiss the ground, Blossom?" He teased.

"You wish!" I was ready and raring to go. "And shall we do anything more than disarming?"

"Think you can handle more?"

"I can handle anything you throw at me."

"That sounds like a challenge."

"Face your partners and bow!" Lockhart was back in control. Apple Juice and I bowed to each other. "On the count of three, aim to disarm your partner. One... Two... Three!"

I lunged to the side as Apple Juice's spell shot towards me.

"Expelliarmus!" He shielded and the spell came bouncing back.

"Flipendo!"

"Rictumsempra!"

"Petrificus Totalus!"

"Langlock!" I finally landed a spell on him by overpowering it so that it broke through his shield.

"FINITE INCANTATEM!"

I looked up at Professor Sev, who had ended the duelling. Most people were lying on the floor and Lockhart was in a tizzy as he tried to take care of everything.

"I think I'd better teach you how to block unfriendly spells. Let's have a volunteer pair- Longbottom and Finch-Fletchley, how about you?"

"A bad idea Professor Lockhart. Longbottom causes devastation with the simplest spells. We'll be sending what's left of Finch-Fletchley to the hospital wing in a matchbox. How about Malfoy and Potter?"

"Excellent idea!" Harry and Malfoy moved into the middle of the hall and the students cleared a space for them.

"Now, Harry, when Draco points his wand at you you do this." Lockhart attempted a wiggly thing with his wand and dropped it. "Whoops, my wand is a little over-excited."

Professor Sev murmured something to Malfoy. I raised my wand to catch Harry's attention and when he looked I moved my wand in the correct way, exaggerating the movement slowly to let him memorize it. Harry nodded gratefully.

"Just do what I did Harry!" Lockhart cuffed him on the shoulder.

"What, drop my wand?"

"Three- two- one- go!"

"Serpensortia!" Malfoy yelled before Harry could do anything. A long black snake shot from the end of his wand and raised itself to strike Harry.

"Don't move Potter. I'll get rid of it." Professor Sev began to move forward, but Lockhart was faster.

"Allow me!" He brandished his wand and the snake flew ten feet into the air and fell to the ground with a thud. It hissed angrily.

_Nassty humanssss!_

It slithered towards Justin and prepared to strike.

"_Leave him alone!"_

I commanded the snake at the same time as Harry. Then I looked at him in shock. Had Harry just spoken in Parseltongue?

The snake dropped to the floor.

Justin looked scared and angry.

"What d'you think you're playing at?" He shouted towards me and Harry before turning and storming out of the hall.

Oranges and tomatoes. Now Justin was really going to think that I should be in Slytherin. He was probably going to blame me for the snake since he didn't understand what I had said.

"Come on!" Hermione hissed. She and Ron herded me and Harry out of the Great Hall, people pulling away from us as we passed. Harry looked clueless. Griffindor Tower was empty when we arrived and Ron shoved Harry into an armchair. I sat down beside him.

"You two are Parselmouths. Why didn't you tell us?"

"Because I knew people would freak out like this?" I snapped. Blaise was going to love my performance after his lecture on not letting people know what I could do.

"What do you mean I'm a Parselmouth?" Harry looked perplexed.

"A Parselmouth is someone who can speak to snakes." I informed him.

"Yeah, well so? I bet loads of people can do it here."

"Oh, no they can't." Ron was looking serious.

"Why does it matter what I did as long as I stopped Justin from having to join the headless hunt?" Harry didn't seem to understand.

"It matters, because that's what Salazar Slytherin was famous for. That's why the animal of Slytherin house is a snake. It's because he was a Parselmouth. Now everyone's going to think you two are his great-great-great grandchildren or something."

Harry's jaw dropped.

"But... but I'm not!"

"For all we know, you could be." Hermione finally spoke. I got up and went to bed.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

The next morning, Herbology was cancelled because of the weather. A blizzard was raging outside as I meandered through the halls aimlessly.

"Hey, Blossom!"

"Hi Apple Juice. Aren't you going to run away screaming like a little girl 'cause I'm about to petrify you with my awesome heir of Slytherin skills?" Sarcasm is such a wonderful invention.

"Nah, I've always wanted an evil little sister." He fell into step with me.

"Going anywhere in particular?"

"Nope. You?"

"Library. I want to see if there's any ritual or potion that could let me be a Parselmouth."

"You would want to be able to speak to snakes?"

"Why not?" He grinned. "It could also be our secret language. We could talk in it as we plot our plan for world domination."

"_Our _plan? Sorry, but I'm not in on that one. You Hufflepuffs think too small. Why would I want to go for world domination when I can aim for universal domination?"

Apple Juice laughed.

"You're such a Griffindor."

"And don't you forget it!"

The two of us wandered on, chatting together about inconsequential things. My mind was in other places. I wanted to find some way to get Justin to understand that I wasn't out to kill him and I was eager to complete the Polyjuice, because then we could see if my fears were unfounded and Ginny's diary wasn't involved after all.

"Hi Harry!" Harry was about to go into the library, but stopped as we came up.

"Hey guys! Have you seen Justin Finch-Fletchley anywhere?"

"Nope." Apple Juice shook his head. "Last I saw him was in the Duelling club. What did you want him for?"

"I wanted to explain what really happened with the snake. He seemed to think I was attacking him or something."

Cedric grimaced.

"He isn't the only one. You'd be surprised at how many people I've had to tell off for accusing one of you of being the heir."

"You've been telling them off?" Harry was startled.

"Yep. If one of you were the heir, I strongly doubt you would have gone and saved Justin like you did. Unfortunately, that means that Blossom isn't evil, so I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to find someone to corrupt her." Harry looked like he didn't know how to respond. I punched Apple Juice in the shoulder.

"Oww!" He staggered dramatically. "Maybe she is evil after all. Take her with you to spare me from death! I'm too handsome to die!"

"You wish!"

Harry just shook his head and the three of us entered the library. Cedric went off to the potions section and Harry and I moved towards a group of Hufflepuffs in our year who were sitting together.

"So anyway, I told Justin to hide up in our dormitory." A stout boy was talking to the others. Harry and I stopped in the invisibility section to listen. "I mean to say, if Potter and Gwetheren have marked him down as their next victim, it's best if he keeps a low profile."

Next victim?!

I listened on in disbelief as they continued to talk about how no one knew what kind of background I had and how Harry had defeated Voldemort using dark powers because he was an even stronger dark wizard. Harry finally cleared his throat and stepped out from behind the shelves. I followed him.

"Hello. We're looking for Justin Finch-Fletchley."

The colour drained from their faces.

"What do you want with him?" To strangle him for being such a tomato, perhaps?

"To explain what really happened last night."

Right then, I felt a weird mental snap. It was almost as though something had frozen.

I tuned out the conversation Harry was having.

_Lisa?_

_**Melody, did you feel that?**_

_Yes. Can you get through to Lisa or Justin?_

_**No. Do you think something happened to them?**_

_I don't know. Do you know where they were supposed to be?_

_**Meeting in the Room to discuss last night's performance.**_

_Great..._

_**What were you thinking?**_

_That I didn't want Justin dead?_

Blaise had no reply.

"It's not possible to live with the Dursleys and not hate them. I'd like to see you try."

Harry stormed out of the library and I followed him. The Hufflepuffs immediately went back to their whispered conversation. Harry strode down the hallways angrily, not looking where he was going until he crashed into Hagrid and fell to the floor.

"Oh, hullo Hagrid!"

Hagrid pulled him up.

"Alrigh' Harry? Melody? Why aren' yeh in class?"

"Cancelled. What are you doing?" I tipped my head back to look up at him. Hagrid held up a dead rooster.

"Second one killed this term. It's either foxes or a Blood-suckin' Bugbear an' I need the headmaster's permission ter put a charm round the hen-coop."

He looked closely at Harry and me.

"Yeh sure yeh're alrigh'? Yeh look all hot an' bothered."

"It's nothing." Harry didn't seem to want to talk about what the Puffs had been saying.

"We'd better get going, Hagrid, it's Transfiguration next and we've got to pick up our books." I dragged Harry off from where he was standing, glaring at his shoelace as though it had been talking about him too. He stomped off, not seeming to care where he was going. I followed him up the stairs and into another corridor which was dark since the candles were extinguished. I looked up as I felt a cold wind. A window pane was loose.

Harry fell over something with a thump and I turned to help him up again before freezing in horror.

Lying on the floor were Lisa and Justin, petrified.


	20. suspicions under polyjuice

I was relieved when term ended and almost the entire population of students left for the holidays. It had been getting really annoying to have people skirting around me in the corridors and avoiding me like I was going to attack them if they looked at me the wrong way. The only thing that made it bearable was the way that Apple Juice and the Twins marched me and Harry up and down the hallways ordering everyone to make way for the seriously evil witch and wizard, the dastardly heirs of Slytherin.

I loved having Apple Juice as a big brother.

Percy and Ginny didn't seem to find their behaviour amusing. Percy was insistent that it was not a laughing matter, and Ginny jumped whenever someone mentioned anything about the heir.

The Polyjuice was almost ready, but I was becoming increasingly certain that my hunch about Ginny's diary was correct and that Malfoy wasn't the heir at all. Blaise had told me that Malfoy hadn't admitted to anything, but complained all the time about being unable to help whoever it was in their work.

On Christmas day, I got up before dawn and snuck off the Myrtle's bathroom. I added a few more lacewings to the bubbling potion before sitting back to look at my handiwork. It looked thick and gloopy, a muddy brown. It was ready.

I returned to the common room and raced into my dorm, grabbing my presents and jumping on Hermione to wake her up.

"Whozere?" She mumbled blearily.

"It's ready!"

Hermione sat up.

"Really?"

"Yes! Come on, let's go tell the boys!"

Hermione was already halfway to the door.

"Wait!"

"What?" She turned, hand already on the handle.

"Don't you want to get dressed?"

"Oh, right!" Blushing scarlet, Hermione went and got dressed. I tapped my foot impatiently until she was ready to go. The two of us darted over to the boys' dorms and found Harry and Ron still asleep.

"Wake up." Hermione said loudly, opening their curtains.

"Hermione- you're not supposed to be in here." Ron shielded his eyes from the light as Harry reached for his glasses.

"Merry Christmas to you too." She retorted.

"I've been up for nearly an hour adding more lacewings to the potion. It's ready." I tossed Harry his present as he came fully awake.

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

Hedwig swooped in with a small package in her beak.

"Hello! Are you speaking to me again?" Hedwig nibbled his ear affectionately. I threw Ron his present and the four of us began to open the gifts together, same order as the previous year. Hermione got to go last.

I got a pair of dragon hide boots from AJ, a watch from Crabapple, a gold necklace with a ruby lion from Apple Juice, a luxury eagle-feather quill from Hermione, a snowglobe from Harry, Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans from Ron, a tin of fudge from Hagrid, a new sweater and a plum cake from Mrs. Weasley, and another gift from my illegal godfather.

I stared at it in confusion.

It was something very thin, shorter than my wand, and I had no idea of what it was. I unwrapped it to find... another wand? I pulled out the note that was wrapped around it.

_Dear Melody,_

_This was your mother's wand. I received it shortly after her death and thought you might make use of it as a secondary wand, in case you are ever in a duel and loose your main wand._

_Love,_

_Your Illegal Godfather_

"Lumos!" I tested it and it lit up, but not quite as brightly as mine did. But if ever I lost my main wand in a duel, this one would work.

"One last present for you!" Harry passed me a box wrapped in green paper. There was no tag.

"Think it's from the twins again?" Ron looked at it nervously.

"I dunno." I began to unwrap it and found a black box with a silver snake as its clasp. I carefully opened it. Inside was a set of large flasks with a silvery white liquid in each.

"What are those?" Ron leaned over for a closer look. I shrugged, reaching for the note that came with them.

_Only use these when you actually need them. I do not have the recipe to make more as your mother did not share the secret with anyone else and I have been unable to decipher the ingredients. This potion works similar to a disillusionment charm, making you invisible to all but those who have also taken the potion. It plays with the mind, so that if you speak while under its influence anyone who tries to listen to you or pinpoint where you are they will be unable to find you._

_I trust you will not use it to endanger your life as you do an excellent job of that already._

_Professor Snape_

"Who's it from?" Harry asked.

"A friend." I said shortly, packing away the potion and note with a grin. Professor Sev had given me a present too! I was glad I had gotten him a gift for Christmas, even though I hadn't been sure it would be entirely welcomed.

"The same friend who wrote you that letter the morning Harry arrived at the Burrow?" Ron raised an eyebrow.

"Possibly." I picked up my gifts.

"And she says this friend of hers isn't her boyfriend." Ron informed Hermione.

"He's not!" I protested. Hermione was looking curiously at me.

"Then who is he?"

How the orange was I supposed to define exactly who Professor Sev was to me?

I stalked out of the dorm and back to mine, putting on my new necklace and stowing my potions in my pouch.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

After lunch, Hermione gave Ron and Harry the cupcakes filled with a sleeping draught while I went to go double check the Polyjuice. Hermione hovered around the door anxiously until Harry and Ron came rushing in.

"We've got the hairs." Harry looked like he wished they hadn't.

"Whose hair are you two using?"

"I've already got mine. Remember Millicent Bulstrode wrestling me during the Duelling club? She left one of her hairs on me. I'll just tell the Slytherins I've come back." Hermione held it up in a bottle.

"I don't have anyone's hair. I'm going to keep a lookout to make sure nobody accidentally finds Crabbe or Goyle." I placed the three cups on the edge of the toilet and began to ladle the potion into them. Hermione dropped her hair in and the potion hissed and turned a sickly yellow. Harry and Ron dropped theirs in.

"Wait, we should all take separate cubicles. Crabbe and Goyle are too large to fit into one together and Millicent Bulstrode is no pixie either."

"Good thinking." Ron complimented Harry.

"Here. I nabbed some spare robes from the laundry. You guys will need larger sizes once you change."

The three of them went into their separate stalls and I looked down at the rest of the potion. It would be such a pity to let it go to waste... So I might as well store it in some vials and save it in case I ever had need of it in the future. I pulled out some of my spare vials from my pouch and began to store the Polyjuice in them, sealing them so it would last.

"Are you guys okay?" I heard Goyle's grunt and looked out. Goyle looked back at me, wearing Harry's glasses.

"Goyle doesn't wear glasses." I informed Harry.

"Oh, right." Harry took them off as the Crabbe Ron came out of his stall, looking pale and shocked.

"Ready to go Hermione?" I knocked on her door.

"I-I don't think I'm going to go after all. You guys go on without me." Her voice was very high pitched. I frowned. Bulstrode's voice wasn't that high from what I had heard.

"Go on, I'll look after her." I shooed Harry and Ron out.

"Hermione, whose hair was that?"

"S-s-she m-m-must have a c-c-cat!" Hermione sobbed. My stomach lurched. The potion wasn't supposed to be used for animal transfigurations...

"Bloody orange."

I didn't know what to do. Eventually, I decided to leave Hermione there and keep lookout like I was supposed to.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"I wish I knew who it was. Then I could help them." Harry couldn't believe it. Malfoy wasn't the heir? Ron's mouth dropped open, making Crabbe look more gormless than usual.

"You must have some idea of who it is." Harry tried to take Malfoy's attention away from Ron.

"Well, yeah, but of course no one believes me. They think I'm just holding a grudge." He laughed softly.

"Who?"

"Gwetheren."

"What?!" Ron and Harry stared at Malfoy in shock, completely forgetting their act.

"Honestly, who else? She hasn't told anyone about her childhood,  
her father's in Azkaban, her mother was accused of spying for the dark lord and was killed trying to escape the aurors, and she actually goes by 'Gwetheren'. That whole family is directly descended from Slytherin. It's the only line now directly from him since the Gaunts died out. And whenever she attacked me she used dark spells."

"She used dark spells?" Harry repeated, aghast. Malfoy nodded.

"Uncle Sev left a list of the spells she used lying on top of one of his books. I was able to look them up after I saw them when I was waiting for him."

"You really think it's her?"

"Why not? She's obsessed with Potter and all the people who annoyed him have been attacked. She could be getting revenge for them taking his attention from her. But anyways, did you hear the ministry raided our house last week?"

Ron and Harry tried to look concerned.

"Yeah." Malfoy nodded. "Luckily, they didn't get anything good since we have our own chamber of secrets hidden under the drawing room floor."

"Ho!" Harry and Malfoy looked at Ron, who blushed. His hair seemed to be starting to blush too. The potion was wearing off. The two of them got up.

"Gotta go get something for my stomach." Ron grunted. They sprinted the length of the Slytherin Common room before dashing back upstairs and leaving the shoes beside the cupboard they had locked the real Crabbe and Goyle in.

"Was it him?" Harry whipped around to see Melody emerge from the shadows.

"No." Harry was disturbed to see that she didn't look surprised. Could Malfoy actually be right?

"Let's go tell Hermione." Melody went off towards the bathroom. Ron sent a questioning look towards Harry. He shook his head. He definitely didn't want to tell Melody what Malfoy had said about her.

Hermione was sobbing in her cubicle when they entered.

"Hermione, come on out we've got loads to tell you!" Ron pounded on the door.

"Go away!"

"Come on out Hermione, we have to see what happened to be able to fix it." Melody sounded like she was sure it wasn't too bad. When Hermione finally opened the door, Ron backed into the sink. Hermione's face was covered in fur, her eyes were yellow and she had black ears pointing out of her hair.

"I-i-i-it was a c-c-c-cat h-h-hair. A-and the p-p-p-p-potion isn't supposed to be used for animals." Hermione wailed. Myrtle was hovering behind her, looking happier than Harry had ever seen.

"You'll be teased something awful!" She chortled.

"Shut it, ugly!" Melody snapped viciously, eyes flashing.

"At least I didn't give my friend something that went wrong!" Myrtle gushed gleefully. Melody's eyes darkened dangerously.

"At least she's got friends who care about her."

Myrtle looked taken aback.

"Come on, we'll take you to Madam Pomfrey." Melody abruptly switched from dark to concerned. "She never asks too many questions."

It was a while before they could persuade Hermione to leave the bathroom. Harry really didn't know what to think about Melody now. If she could switch so easily between threatening and consoling, could she also switch from innocent schoolgirl to the one setting the monster on the students? Was her father really in Azkaban? Harry resolved to keep a closer watch on her.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

I spent the rest of the holidays alternating between practising dark spells in the Room and reading up on different kinds of snakes. Slytherin's symbol was a serpent, they called Slytherin the snake-speaker, only Harry and I were known Parselmouths and the two of us were the only ones who had heard the voice in the walls. The only problem with my theory was that I couldn't find any snakes that lived long enough to be the culprit fifty years ago and only petrified. Snakes like the Basilisk killed with their stare, but nobody had died.

My research had run up a wall.

When the rest of the students returned back from the holidays, I decided to find out if it really was the diary's fault the Chamber had been opened. Ginny had been looking exhausted lately, and one evening when she went to bed early I snuck into her dorm and stole the diary. If the attacks continued, it wasn't the diary's fault. If they stopped, it was the diary possessing Ginny.

I needed a good place to hide the book, so I decided to go back to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. Myrtle was humming to herself in the last stall, so I figured she was too cheerful. She had had no right to tease Hermione like that. I took aim and threw the book. Myrtle began to scream and I dashed out of the bathroom.

"Hold it!" I found myself being lifted off the ground by my upper arms. I dangled helplessly between the Twins.

"Put me down!" I demanded.

"But first..."

"You must tell us..."

"Exactly why..."

"You were running..."

"As if you were attempting to escape..."

"From the crime scene..."

"Of another attack."

"I wasn't attacking anyone! And it's none of your business as to why I was running."

"Oh, really?"

"And if we make it our business?"

I attempted to glare at them both at the same time, which didn't work as they were on opposite sides of me.

"If you will refuse..."

"To enlighten us..."

"With your secrets..."

"We will be forced..."

"To take action..."

"And tickle them out of you!"

Before I could protest, I was pinned against the wall and they were attacking my ribs.

"Ha... ha... ha?"

They would never find my ticklish places.

"Rictumsempra!"

Or maybe they would.

I began to writhe with laughter, trying to escape.

"Are you serious?"

They let go and I crumpled to the floor, attempting to stop the spell's effect.

"You're ticklish on your elbows and knees?"

I couldn't breathe.

"What on earth?"

"Help... me..." I barely managed to choke out between spasms of laughter. The twins were laughing helplessly too. Apple Juice was looking at us like he didn't know what to think.

"Finite Incantatem." I could breathe again, but I couldn't stop giggling.

"What did you do to her?"

"She's..."

"Ticklish..."

"On the elbows..."

"And knees..."

"Elbows and knees?"

"Don't you dare." I finally managed to catch my breath as Apple Juice descended on me. I struggled, attempting to escape between bouts of laughter.

"Merlin's beard, Blossom, how are you so ticklish? I'm barely touching you." Apple Juice was laughing too now. I managed to wriggle free and began to race down the hallway, not caring where I was going as long as it was away from my tormentors. I found myself at the entrance to Griffindor tower and gasped out the password before hurtling inside and looking around wildly for a safe place. Harry was sitting over in the corner with Ron and the recently released Hermione. I dove for them and hid behind Harry's chair as the portrait hole opened to reveal the twins, still laughing.

"Oh, Melody?"

"Where are you?"

"We have some unfinished business to attend to!"

I bit down hard on my braid, attempting to stop the giggles. The twins were looking carefully around the room.

"What did you do?" Harry whisper-asked me.

"I escaped."

"Aha!" One of them spotted me.

"NO!" I shrieked, making a mad dash for the dorm. The other one tackled me and I was being tortured again.

"Look!"

"How on earth..."

"Can anyone be..."

"So ticklish?"

Other Griffindors were laughing too now. The portrait hole opened again and Percy walked in, looking startled.

"Fred, George, what do you think you're doing?"

"Save me!" I leaped for him, pushing him in between me and the twins as I tried to breathe properly.

"You really think..."

"We would let..."

"Our brother..."

"Stop us..."

"From doing..."

"Exactly what we want?"

Now Percy was attacked by the ticklers and I made my escape back to where Harry, Ron and Hermione were sitting.

"I don't even want to know." Ron shook his head. "Why on earth do you spend time with them?"

"Why not?" I shot back. "They're my friends. Not quite as good as Harry, Hermione and you, but I can still spend time with whoever I want to."

Hermione and Harry exchanged a glance and Harry shook his head slightly. I turned my attention back to where the Twins and Percy were having their spat. I had finally stopped giggling.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Things went smoothly from there until February 14th, discounting the occasional surprise attack the Twins launched on multiple occasions. Apple Juice had stopped after I discovered that he was ticklish on the neck and feet.

When I went down for breakfast with Hermione on Valentine's Day, I thought I had gone into the wrong room. Everything was pink and there were confetti hearts falling from the ceiling.

"Blossom!" I felt a tug on my sleeve and turned to see Apple Juice standing there, looking alarmed. "How do I ask her?"

Oh, yeah.

It was the day of asking Cho.

"Can you conjure daisies?"

"Of course!"

"Conjure a large bunch and have them float over to her. Then, when she's looking at them all, you can send the note telling her where to meet you and then you ask her out." I had decided that Cho would be alright for him to date. It wasn't like he was going to marry her or anything.

"Thanks!" He returned to the Hufflepuff table.

"Helping him out?"

"Of course!"

Right then, I felt something settle on my shoulder and looked up to see a large pink butterfly with gauzy wings. I reached up to touch it and it dissolved into a note.

_Roses are red_

_Violets are blue_

_The song of my heart_

_Sings a Melody true_

_With hair and heart of finest gold_

_Heaven would be having your hand to hold_

_Yet who am I? I shall not say_

_From fear you do not feel this way_

_Even if you do not I will be true_

_My heart sings for no other but you_

_XOXO_

"Oh, Melody!" Hermione squealed, clapping her hands to her mouth as I felt myself blushing. "You've got a secret admirer!"

We sat down at the Griffindor table, both of us rather giggly. Someone actually had a crush on me?

Ron came in and stopped in horror. He looked over at the two of us and we started giggling even harder. With a look on his face like he was going to be sick, Ron forced himself to come over and sit down.

I reread the note. I had never gotten a real love note before. Sure, when I was in kindergarten I had planned my wedding to another little boy and we had talked romantic stuff to each other, but I had moved and never saw him again. Whoever wrote this note...

But who could it be?

Harry came in a few minutes later and stopped just like Ron had. Hermione and I couldn't stop this confounded giggling. As soon as I had almost gained control she'd start giggling and I'd be off again, and as soon as she almost stopped I made her giggle.

"What's going on?" Harry looked horrified as he sat down beside Ron. Ron pointed up at Lockhart, who was wearing ugly pink robes. Some pinks are nice, but that one sure wasn't.

"Happy Valentine's day to you all and thank you to the forty six people who have already sent me cards! Yes, I have taken the liberty of preparing this treat for you, but it doesn't end here!" He clapped his hands and a group of dwarfs dressed like cupids entered the room. "My friends, the lovely card-carrying cupids will be roaming around the school today, delivering your valentines for you. And I'm sure my colleagues will want to enter into the spirit of the occasion! Why not ask Professor Snape how to whip up a love potion? And Professor Flitwick knows more about Entrancing charms than anyone else I've met, the sly old dog!"

Now I was laughing hard. Professor Sev? Teaching girls how to whip up a love potion? Who on earth would ask him that?

"Please Hermione, Melody, tell me you weren't any of the forty six." Ron begged as we left the hall. I shook my head, but Hermione suddenly became very interested in searching for her timetable.

The dwarfs kept barging into our classes to hand out valentines, and soon I couldn't stop blushing as the majority went to me. I mean, me? Who would honestly send valentines cards to me? I wasn't pretty or anything and most of the students thought I was the heir of Slytherin.

"Oi! You! Harry Potter!" One dwarf caught up to Harry on our way to charms. "I've got a singing valentine to deliver to you."

Harry went red and tried to escape. The dwarf kicked people in the shins to get them out of the way before grabbing Harry's bag to try to stop him.

"Not here!" Harry hissed.

"Hold still!" The bag ripped and Harry's things spilled to the ground. He scurried around, trying to collect everything.

"What do we have here?"

"What's going on here?" When Harry heard Malfoy and Percy, he tried to make a break for it. The dwarf grabbed his legs, bringing him crashing down, and sat on his shins to stop him from escaping.

"Right then, here is your singing valentine:

_His eyes are as green as a fresh pickled toad_

_His hair is as dark as a blackboard_

_I wish he was mine_

_He's really divine_

_The hero who conquered the dark lord_

I was doing my best not to laugh. Harry was beet red and started collecting his things again.

"Off you go now, class started five minutes ago." Percy tried to disperse the crowd as the dwarf went off in search of its next victim.

"Wonder what Potter's got written in this?" I turned to see Malfoy holding up a diary.

_The _diary.

I instinctively looked for Ginny. She was looking between Harry and the diary, an expression of horror on her face.

"Give that back, Malfoy." Harry snapped.

"After I've had a look!" Malfoy taunted. I drew my wand. Nobody taunts my Harry.

Wait a moment, did I just call him 'my Harry'?

What the bloody orange is going on with me?

Why on earth did I just call him my Harry?

"As school prefect-"

"Expelliarmus!"

Harry disarmed Malfoy and Ron caught the diary, grinning broadly.

"Harry! No magic in the hallways. I'll have to report this you know." Harry looked like he couldn't care less. We went off to Charms and several more dwarfs came for me, but the day was ruined.

I knew that the diary was the culprit behind the attacks. I had managed to get it from Ginny, but now Harry had it. My best friend now had the diary that possessed people and forced them to set the monster on innocent children.

Why the orange had I promised I wouldn't tell anyone about it?

OoOoOoOoOoOo

I didn't mention the diary to Harry and he didn't mention it to me. Life went on as usual. There were no more attacks and the mandrakes were growing up quickly. Lisa and Justin would be awakened before the end of the year.

Harry was training hard for the Quidditch finals and Hermione and I were studying hard for our exams, but I had been starting to notice a separation between me and the other three. I really noticed it the night before the game when Harry and Ron came out of their dorm looking extremely serious and proceeded to have a hushed conversation with Hermione, who looked horrified. None of them came over to me or invited me to join their group.

The next morning, I went down to breakfast with them and we were heading out to the pitch when I heard the snake again. Harry shouted in shock. I stared at him in shock. Harry had the diary, but he was here so he couldn't be possessed! How the orange was this possible?

"I think I've understood something!" Hermione smacked herself in the head. "Just give me two seconds in the library to make sure!" And off she ran. I ran after her. I wanted to know what was going on. Hermione raced over to the section on magical creatures and pulled out an old book on snakes. She began flipping through the pages feverishly.

"I've already looked through there." I informed her wearily. I had hoped she had actually had a new idea.

"This is it! This is the monster!" She gasped.

"What?" I looked over her shoulder and saw the page on the basilisk.

"Hermione, it kills people by looking at them. It doesn't petrify them."

"But nobody's died because nobody's looked at it directly! Colin saw it through his camera, Mrs. Norris saw the reflection in the water, Turpin and Finch-Fletchley saw it through Nearly Headless Nick and he got the full blast of it but couldn't die again!"

My mouth dropped.

I hadn't actually thought of it that way. I had looked strictly for those that could petrify normally. Hermione tore the page out of the book and wrote one word at the bottom.

"And the reason you've been hearing it coming from the walls is because it's been travelling through the pipes!"

"Bloody orange! Hermione, you are definitely the most brilliant witch of the age." She beamed.

"We have to tell someone!" Hermione jumped up and ran out of the library with me following at a slower pace. Could I tell someone about the basilisk, even though it was connected to the diary?

Hermione had stopped a Ravenclaw prefect and was talking to her eagerly. The girl looked startled and then excited. She was about to turn the corner when she stopped and pulled out a mirror. They both looked into it, and then they stiffened and fell over.

The air froze.

_No..._

I heard the basilisk moving towards them. I shut my eyes tightly and tried to stop shaking.

_Fresh food... Rip and tear... Food..._

I couldn't let it eat them.

"_Leave them alone!"_

I heard the beast stop.

_Who daressss command me?_

"_The heiress of Slytherin."_

The beast slithered up to me and I felt it tasting the air around me. I couldn't move, couldn't breathe, couldn't think.

_Forgive me missstresss... I will hunt elssssewhere..._

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Yes Weasley, perhaps you had better come too." Harry and Ron followed Professor McGonagall. Harry wondered what was going on.

"This is going to come as a bit of a shock to both of you." Her voice was surprisingly gentle as they reached the hospital wing. Harry felt a pit of cold fear form in his stomach. "There's been another attack... Another double attack, and it was almost a triple attack." She opened the door and Harry and Ron went in to see-

"_Hermione_!" Ron moaned. Harry couldn't move. Hermione was lying on her back, eyes open and glassy. On the next bed was the Ravenclaw prefect he and Ron had accidentally asked for directions during the Polyjuice incident. Further down, Melody was curled up on one of the beds, rocking back and forth with her arms around her knees and her face hidden by her legs. Her body was shaking.

"Miss Gwetheren was right behind them when it happened. She was very fortunate she escaped being petrified or worse..."

Harry didn't know what to think.

"She says she didn't see the attacker, but hid in a corner once she saw the two of them petrified."

Could it actually be Melody who was the heir? How else would she have managed to escape while the two right in front of her didn't?

"This was found on the floor next to those two. Do you have any ideas of what it was used for?"

She held up a small mirror. Harry and Ron shook their heads and Professor McGonagall sighed heavily.

"I will escort the two of you back to Griffindor tower. I need to address the students in any case."

She led the way out of the hospital wing and Harry took one more look at Melody. She didn't change position at all or look up.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

The next weeks were awful. We were escorted to each of our lessons by a teacher and we were all to be in our common rooms by six in the evening. There was no more Quidditch or evening activities. Harry and Ron weren't speaking to me for some reason and the Twins stayed with their friend Lee Jordan and I didn't want to talk to Ginny and have to answer awkward questions about why the diary went missing and how Harry got his hands on it. Blaise and I would mindspeak during the evenings sometimes, but there wasn't really anything to say to each other. And it felt wrong to mindspeak while Lisa and Justin were lying petrified in the hospital wing.

So I was on my own again. Just like at the orphanage.

And like at the orphanage, I retreated into my shell. I generally didn't go out of my way to make new friends. If I crossed paths with someone who seemed nice, I would talk to them. If they were nice to me, I would be friendly with them. When I made friends, I kept them. When my friends didn't want me, I retreated.

The rest of the school year seemed doomed to pass that way.

Things only got worse when Dumbledore and Hagrid were taken away. It seemed that the ministry had decided that since they believed Hagrid had opened the Chamber last time he must have done it this time. They had taken him to Azkaban. Dumbledore had been removed from the post of headmaster by the governors, so Professor McGonagall was filling in for him. It didn't seem right to not have Hagrid stomping about the grounds when I flew around in the mornings, and it didn't seem right to not have Dumbledore sitting at the staff table and twinkling his eyes down at us.

One morning, Professor McGonagall got up and said she had an announcement to make. The hall burst into talk as people wondered what it was. Then she said that the mandrakes were almost ready and we would be getting our fellow students back!

"Finally!" I smiled for the first time in ages before performing the apple ritual. Harry and Ron were sitting across the table and talking to Ginny who was looking nervous.

"What's up?" I heard Ron ask. I smacked my head against the table, hard.

There were no words to describe what an orange I had been. All these months I could have asked Ginny to give me permission to tell about the diary and all that it entailed! I would have to ask her now. She ran out of the hall and I followed, catching up to her a corridor later.

"Ginny! Wait!"  
She turned.

"Tell them!" She sobbed. "Tell them! I c-couldn't d-d-d-do it with P-P-P-Percy there. Tell them about T-T-T-T-Tom an-and the diary!"

"Ginny?" I stared at her in shock.

"It was me!" She wailed. "And I couldn't stop myself! Please, tell someone so they can help me!"

"I will!" I promised. "I'll go right now!" I turned and started sprinting towards the dungeons. Professor Sev would know what to do.

I burst into his room and had to duck and roll out of the way as a barrage of curses met me.

"It's me!"

He stopped.

"Miss Gwetheren! What do you think-"  
"I know who the heir is!" I interrupted him. I didn't care about politeness anymore. I had been freed so that I could talk without dying.

Professor Sev stood there and listened in stunned silence as I poured out my tale.

"And you left her alone in that corridor?"

"Yes, sir." I was feeling drained now that I had finally gotten that weight off my chest.

"Go to Dumbledore's office and wait there until he comes."

"Yes, sir." I left the dungeons with Professor Sev and we split up, him in search of Ginny and me in search of Dumbledore's office. I turned down the corridor the writing on the wall had appeared on and stopped in shock and horror. Standing there in front of me, hand open and bleeding, was Ginny. Her eyes were closed and she was extremely pale. Beside her was the blurred form of someone I had only ever seen once and had hoped to never see again.

Tom Marvolo Riddle.


	21. Fights and Phoenixes

"All students return to your common rooms. All teachers to the staff room. Immediately, please."

Ron wheeled around in dismay.

"Not now! Another attack? What should we do?"

"Wait in here." Harry pointed to the wardrobe the teachers could keep their spare cloaks in. He had no intention of leaving after discovering that the monster was a basilisk and that the entrance to the Chamber was in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. They had to tell the teachers. The two boys hunkered down in the darkness, leaving a sliver open for them to look out. The teachers were filing in, looking grim and worried. Professor McGonagall came in last, pale and drawn.

"It has happened at last. Two students have been taken into the Chamber of Secrets by the monster."

Professor Flitwick squealed, Sprout clapped her hands to her mouth and Snape gripped the back of his chair hard.

"How can you be sure?" His voice was tense.

"The heir left another message." McGonagall's voice was shaking. "_Their skeletons will lie in the Chamber forever._"

"Who is it?" Madam Hooch sunk into a chair. "Which students?"

"Ginny Weasley..." Ron slid down beside Harry. "And Melody Gwetheren."

"WHAT?!" Harry looked out in shock at Professor Snape. He had never seen the teacher look like that. Snape looked devastated and furious.

The door swung open. For a moment, Harry had the wild hope that it was Dumbledore, but Lockhart was there, beaming around at everyone.

"So sorry, dozed off, what did I miss?"

"Just the man." Snape's voice was shaking, either with rage or- did Harry dare think it?- grief. "Just the man. Two girls have been taken by the monster, into the Chamber itself."

Lockhart blanched. The rest of the teachers joined Snape in ganging up on Lockhart, Harry watching in silence as the DADA teacher was reduced to a weak jawed wimp.

"Very well then. I'll be in my office- getting ready." He left.

"Now that that's got him out from under our feet, the heads of the houses should go notify their students that the Hogwarts Express will be ready to take them home tomorrow morning. Will the rest of the teachers please check to make sure no students have been left out of their common rooms?"

"What about the girls? We can't just leave them to be- we can't leave them to the monster!" Harry actually agreed with Snape for the first time in his life.

"What would you have us do Severus?" McGonagall looked at him. Harry saw an expression he would have called pain-filled if it had been on anyone else's face cross Snape's; the Potions master whirled around and swept out of the staff room, slamming the door behind him. The rest of the teachers were silent for a few moments before following him out.

Harry and Ron didn't move for several minutes.

Harry's mind was whirling. Melody had been taken by the monster. How could he have thought she was the heir? He had practically closed himself off from being her friend and now she was gone. It was worse than when she had been taken by Quirrel.

Finally, the two boys made their way up to the Tower in silence. The room was full of Griffindors talking among themselves and wondering what had happened. Professor McGonagall came in shortly after. There was no more talking among the students after she left. Percy went to send a letter and shut himself up in his dormitory after.

Harry couldn't remember any day lasting longer. Griffindor tower had never been so crowded, yet so quiet. The afternoon came and went, and when the sun began to set the Twins left, unable to stand it anymore.

"They knew something." Ron finally spoke. "There was no other reason, I mean- she was a pureblood."

Harry didn't answer. He felt terrible.

"D'you... do you think there's any chance that either of them aren't..."

Harry was silent. He didn't see how there could be any hope.

"Y'know what I think? I think we should go tell Lockhart what we know. He's going into the Chamber anyways."

"Fine." Harry couldn't take sitting still any longer. He and Ron left, but no Griffindor tried to stop them. Everyone felt so badly for the Weasleys. The boys walked in silence until they reached Lockhart's office and knocked on the door. The hurried scrapings and thumpings that had been going on as they walked up stopped abruptly. The door opened a tiny crack and they saw Lockhart's eye peeping out.

"Oh, it's you..." He opened the door a little wider. "Terribly sorry, but you've come at a very bad time."

"We've got some information for you. We think it'll help." Ron informed him. Lockhart looked very uncomfortable.

Well, oh, very well... Come in, come in..." Harry and Ron walked in, looking around in surprise at the various boxes of things lying littered around. It looked like Lockhart was packing to go somewhere.

"Are you going somewhere?" Harry frowned.

"Urgent call, unavoidable, got to go." Lockhart pulled down a life-sized poster from the back of the door.

"What about my sister?"  
"Regrettable, no one regrets it more than I do,"

"You mean you're leaving her and Melody there after all the things you did?" Harry felt anger growing inside of him. There was no way he was going to give up on either Melody or Ginny. Harry's anger turned to icy calmness as he listened to Lockhart's confession of using memory charms and faking the books.

"Expelliarmus!" Harry disarmed the fraud before he could put a memory charm on Harry or Ron. Lockhart could come along with them to see the Chamber for himself; maybe it would actually teach him a lesson about his actions.

No teachers were there to stop them as Harry and Ron marched Lockhart down to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. The ghost was floating over one of the sinks when they came in.

"Oh, it's you. What do you want this time?"

"To ask you how you died." Harry didn't care about wasting time exchanging pleasantries. Melody and Ginny were down in the Chamber and every second counted.

"Ooh, it was dreadful!" Myrtle seemed flattered with his question. "I remember it very well because it happened in this very bathroom. I was in here crying because Olive Hornby had been teasing me about my glasses when I heard someone talking outside the stall in some other language because I didn't understand it. What really got to me was that it was a boy speaking. So I unlocked the door to tell him to go use his own toilet and then... I died."

Myrtle smiled dreamily.

"How exactly did you die?"

"No idea. I just looked out and saw a pair of great yellow eyes by these sinks and then my body seized up and I was floating away. But then I came back because I was determined to haunt Olive Hornby."

Harry tuned out the rest of Myrtle's chatter and turned his attention to the sinks. They all looked the same, but one of the handles had a snake etched on it. Harry tried to turn the tap.

"Oh, that tap's never worked." Myrtle informed him cheerfully.

"Harry, say something in Parseltongue." Ron suggested, keeping his wand trained on Lockhart. Harry frowned at the tap.

"Open." He looked at Ron.

"English."

Harry looked back at the tap and tilted his head, imagining that it was a real snake.

"_Open_." There was a hissing noise. The sink glowed with a bright white light and sank out of sight, revealing a hole large enough for a man to slide down.

"I'm going down there." He had to. If there was the slightest chance Melody or Ginny were alive, he had to go and try to see if he could rescue them.

"Me too." Ron's face was set.

"Well, you hardly seem to need me..." Lockhart began with a shadow of his old smile, trailing off as Harry and Ron both aimed their wands at him.

"You can go first."

"Boys, what good will it do?" Lockhart tentatively lowered himself to the ground and Ron gave him a hard shove. Harry went in after and Ron followed Harry down the slimy pipe.

They whizzed out at the bottom and landed among a pile of bones that looked like they belonged to a bunch of small animals.

"Lumos." Harry lit his wand. A tunnel stretched in front of them. Harry began to walk down it. Ron got behind Lockhart and forced him after Harry.

"Remember, any sign of movement and you close your eyes straight away." Harry warned the other two. The three of them walked on in silence until Harry saw something huge stretched across the tunnel. It was a giant snake skin.

"Blimey." Ron whispered. Harry turned around sharply at the sound of Lockhart collapsing. He rolled his eyes.

"The great lionheart." Ron said sarcastically. "He's fainted."

The fainted man suddenly leaped up and grabbed Ron's wand from him, aiming it directly at Harry.

"Obliviate!"

The wand exploded and Harry dodged aside as massive chunks of rock started falling from the ceiling. Within moments he was facing a rock wall that separated him from Ron and the exit of the Chamber.

"Ron, are you okay?"

"Yeah, but this git's not. He got blasted by the wand." Harry could have wilted from relief. Ron wasn't hurt. He still had his friend.

"I'm going on."

There was no way Harry was going to wait and try to make a way for Ron to get through first. Every moment he delayed was precious time away from potentially saving Melody and Ginny.

"All-alright. I'll work on clearing away some of this rock so- so you can get back through." Ron seemed to be trying to keep his voice level.

Harry went on.

There was nothing more remarkable in the tunnel until it ended. Then he saw two carved serpents entwined together on a door, emerald eyes glittering. They actually looked alive.

"_Open_." They slid apart and the door opened with a low hiss. Harry stepped inside the Chamber and looked around for the girls, keeping his eyes squinted in case the basilisk came and he needed to close them quickly. He walked in between two rows of statues carved like snakes until a much larger statue loomed into view. It was carved to look like an old wizard with a long skinny beard that fell to his feet, where two small figures were lying limply.

"Melody!" Forgetting all caution, Harry sprinted the length of the Chamber until he reached the two girls. Ginny was lying face down on the ground, while Melody was half propped up against one of the wizard's shoes. Neither reacted.

"Melody, please don't be dead!" He dropped to his knees beside her, flinging down his wand and dragging her so that she was half lying in his lap. She seemed to be unconscious.

"She won't wake." Harry spun around on his knees. There, emerging from the shadows was-

"Tom Riddle?" He gasped in disbelief. Tom nodded silently, not taking his eyes off of Harry.

"I've been waiting to meet you Harry Potter."

"Look, can we talk later? There's a basilisk and I don't know where it is. Can you take Ginny? We need to get out."

Harry turned back to Melody and looked around for his wand.

"Did you see-?"

Tom was twirling Harry's wand idly between two of his long fingers that shone with a weird misty light.

"Thanks." Harry held out his hand. Tom smiled and kept twirling the wand.

"Look, give me my wand, I might be needing it. There's a basilisk around here."

"It won't come until it is called. We're going to talk now."

Harry stared at him. Something was wrong here.

"How did they get like this?" He asked slowly.

"I suppose the real reason is because Ginny spilled out her heart to an invisible stranger." He pointed at a small black book lying beside Ginny. Harry wondered how it had got there for a moment before turning back to the problem at hand.

"What do you mean?"

"My diary. Little Ginny's been writing in it to me all year, pouring out her soul. And her soul happened to be just what I wanted. It's very boring listening to the troubles of an eleven year old girl, telling me all her worries and fears about how ashamed she was to have to come to school with all second hand things, how her brothers tease her. She began to trust me. I grew stronger on a diet of her deepest fears and darkest secrets. Strong enough to pour some of my soul into her, some of my darker secrets."

"What do you mean?" Harry's mouth was dry.

"It was Ginny. She set the basilisk on the squibs cat and the five mudbloods. It was Ginny who strangled the roosters and daubed the messages on the walls."

"No..."

"Oh, yes." Riddle seemed to be enjoying the horrified look on Harry's face. "But she didn't know what she was doing at first. Her diary entries became much more interesting." He put on a girlish voice. "_Dear Tom,A cat was attacked today and I don't know where I was. Dear Tom, I woke up with paint down my front and I can't remember what I was doing, Dear Tom, I think I'm going mad. I think I'm the one attacking everyone Tom!_" Riddle laughed, an icy high pitched laugh that didn't suit him at all. Harry's fingers curled into fists as he stared at Riddle with anger.

"But then, little Melody decided to interfere. Ginny had decided to share the secret with her role-model and Melody had promised on her life and magic not to tell anyone about the diary. She stole the diary from Ginny and tried to dispose of it. But that's where you came in. You picked up my diary and I couldn't have been more pleased. The very person I had wanted to meet."

"And why did you want to meet me?" Harry spat furiously. He couldn't believe how stupid he had been to actually listen to Malfoy and think that Melody might have had something to do with the attacks. All the time she had been trying to help without dying from breaking her promise and Harry hadn't trusted her!

"You see, Ginny told me all about you. All about your fascinating history. I have many questions for you Harry Potter."

"Like _what_?" Harry was trembling with rage. He didn't care about caution now. He didn't care about the bloody basilisk. All he cared about was getting rid of Tom Marvolo Riddle/ I am Lord Voldemort and getting Melody and Ginny back to the main school alive.

"You're not." He finally spoke after letting Riddle rant on for a bit about how he was the greatest sorcerer in the world.

"Not what?" Riddle snapped.

"Not the greatest sorcerer around. Dumbledore is. You never dared go up against him even when you were at full power."

"Dumbledore's been driven out of this school by the mere memory of me."

"He's not as gone as you'd like to think!" Harry retorted furiously.

"You dare to mock me, boy? You dare to mock Lord Voldemort even now when he has you and your little friends under his power?"

"We're not under your power! Melody was too smart for you when you were still stuck in a diary and we can free Ginny together! You've underestimated us! Even Dumbledore is smart enough to understand the power of friendship and unity!"

Riddle's face contorted into one of rage and he opened his mouth to reply, but froze. A beautifully unearthly music had started piping through the room from at least two unknown sources. The music began to reverberate among the pillars and Harry felt it swelling up in his chest, and as the music reached a deafening crescendo a flame appeared in midair and on top of one of the pillars. Harry and Riddle stared at the flames as they swirled around before melding into the forms of two birds, one of them crimson with golden tail feathers and the other golden with crimson tail feathers that ended in black flame. Both of them seemed to emit a golden glow. The red one dropped a ragged bundle in front of Harry before it landed on his shoulder while the golden one circled around him and the girls.

"Those are phoenixes." Riddle narrowed his eyes at the birds.

"Fawkes?" Harry breathed in shock. The bird on his shoulder squeezed its talons slightly and the other one came to a stop, hovering above Ginny. Riddle began to laugh, the vast chamber echoing back the sounds and making it seem like dozens of Riddles were in there.

"And that's the school's old sorting hat. So this is what Dumbledore sends his mighty defender! A rag and two songbirds. If there was any power in 'friendship' and 'unity' he would have sent some means to wake up at least your girlfriend."

Harry calmly slid Melody off of his lap. He didn't know how having Fawkes and the unknown phoenix here would help him at all, but he still felt braver as he stood up and waited for Riddle's laughter to subside.

"So, to business Harry." Riddle was smiling viciously now. "How did a one year old with no magical powers to speak of survive Lord Voldemort's attack? How did someone so magically weak he can't even revive someone stunned defeat him that time?"

Harry's thoughts were racing madly. Riddle had the wand. He had the phoenixes and the sorting hat, none of which would be helpful in a duel. If only he had learned about stunners he would have known how to wake up Melody, even if he couldn't revive Ginny. She would probably have a wand somewhere on her. Then he noticed, with a jolt of horror, that Riddle's outline was growing more distinct by the minute. Somehow, he was draining energy from Ginny. If it had to be a fight between him and Riddle it had better be sooner rather than later. He had to somehow overcome Riddle; Ginny's life depended on it.

"Nobody knows for sure why you lost your powers."He answered abruptly. "All that I know of that night is that my mother, my _muggleborn _mother died to save me and you were defeated. I've seen you you know. You're a wreck. You're hideous and foul!"

Riddle's face was twisted into a sneer.

"So, your mother died to save you. That's a powerful counter-charm. So there is nothing special about you really. I had wondered. After all, there are so many similarities between us. Both orphans, raised by muggles, probably the only two Parseltongues besides the girl to come to Hogwarts since the great Salazar Slytherin himself. We even look something alike. But really, it was only a lucky chance that saved you from me. So now, let's match the powers of the heir of Slytherin against those of Dumbledore's."  
Riddle turned from Harry to face the statute and began to hiss, but Harry could understand what he was saying.

"_Speak to me Slytherin, greatest of the Hogwarts four."_

The mouth of the statue opened and something began to stir within its depths. The unfamiliar phoenix was already streaking towards it and Fawkes took off too. Harry wanted to shout for them to stay with him, but what chance did two phoenixes stand against a basilisk?

Harry turned and shut his eyes tightly, keeping his hands outstretched as he began to run away.

"_Kill him."_

The snake began to unwind and weave its way towards Harry. Then he heard an awful hissing and spitting noise and the jubilant cry of one of the phoenixes.

"_Leave the birds! Leave the birds! The boy is behind you! Sniff him, smell him!"_

Harry recognized a cry of pain emerging from the basilisk and, against his better judgement, opened his eyes a slit just in time to see the basilisk's face.

Both eyes had been punctured by the phoenixes. The basilisk began to scent the air as Harry stood frozen. The golden phoenix dove towards Harry, tugging on his sleeve. He began to follow it and found himself being led into a smaller side tunnel. The basilisk began to come after him. Harry and the phoenix began to retreat, going through the maze until Harry felt a sudden chill. He had come to a dead end. The phoenix, however, had gone on and was calling challenges to the basilisk as the snake started to slide by Harry's hiding place. Then it paused and turned its sightless eyes towards Harry. He didn't move. The phoenix was silent too, hovering just at the entrance to the tunnel. Harry slowly picked up a stone and threw it towards the entrance of the cul-de-sac. It clanged along and the basilisk withdrew its head and began to follow the phoenix that resumed its retreat. Only when he could no longer hear the beast did Harry leave his hiding place.

He ran back into the main chamber. Fawkes swooped towards Harry, dropping the sorting hat at his feet. Harry picked it up and jammed it on his head.

_Help me... Please help me... Anyone... Anything..._

The top of the hat seemed to constrict. Something smashed into the top of Harry's head, nearly knocking him out. Harry grabbed the top of the hat to pull it off and felt something hard within. He pulled out a large silver sword set with a massive ruby.

An explosive hissing met his ears and Harry whirled around to see the basilisk swinging its head in a vain effort to kill the golden phoenix. Harry gripped the sword tightly in both hands as the monster came nearer. Then the snake seemed to smell him. It smashed its head towards Harry, but missed. He raised the sword above his head and braced himself as the creature struck again.

This time, its aim was true.

Harry cried out in pain as one of the fangs sank into his arm. The tail of the basilisk was thrashing wildly as the creature rolled over in its death throes. The tail whipped into Harry, splintering off the fang as Harry was thrown across the room, smashing painfully into one of the pillars before coming to slide into a crumpled heap. The room seemed to be spinning as he pulled out the deadly fang.

"And so ends the great Harry Potter, alone and friendless, forsaken by those he trusted, defeated by the Dark lord he so unwisely challenged."

The golden phoenix came to rest on Harry's lap, resting its head on his arm.

"Your mudblood mother bought you eleven years of borrowed time, but Lord Voldemort got you in the end as you knew he must. You'll be back with her soon. You're dying Harry Potter, and even that bird knows it. See what he's doing? He's crying."

Harry looked back down at the phoenix. Shimmery blood red tears were sliding down from its eyes onto the bleeding wound, except the wound was closing over- there was new skin covering it and all that was left of the wound was a black scar.

"Get away from him, bird. I said, _get away_." Riddle aimed the wand at the bird and it took flight as a loud bang sounded. Then it came to rest defiantly on Harry's shoulder.

"Of course, phoenix tears have healing powers. I forgot." Riddle frowned at the scar. "But any normal phoenix would have healed the wound completely... But anyhow, I prefer it this way. Just you and me."  
Riddle pointed the wand at Harry and opened his mouth to perform the deadly curse when Fawkes came and landed beside Harry in a whirl of feathers, dropping something into his lap.

The diary.

Harry and Riddle stared at it for a second before Harry raised the fang he still clenched om his fist and drove it into the book as though he had meant to do it all along. There was an awful scream and ink began to spurt from the book in torrents as Riddle twisted and writhed in agony. Then, he was gone. There was nothing left of him but a diary with a sizzling hole burnt into the middle. The golden phoenix fluttered into the air and vanished in a whirl of black flames.

"Ooh..." Harry spun on his knees. Ginny had raised a shaky hand to her head and was beginning to try to sit up. Harry dropped the fang and stood up shakily and walked over to the basilisk, pulling out the sword before making his way towards her. Ginny's eyes focused on him, travelling over his blood spattered clothes to the sword in his hand, to the dead basilisk, to the diary, and then down on to Melody, who still hadn't woken up. Ginny took a shuddering breath and broke down.

"Oh, Harry I'm so sorry! It- it was me! B-B-But I s-s-swear I didn't mean to... It was R-R-Riddle! He made me do it and I tried to tell you at breakfast but I couldn't with Per-Percy there and I told M-M-Melody to t-t-t-tell someone and now she-she's..." Her voice was lost in sobs. Harry went over and pulled her awkwardly to her feet before tucking the diary and sword into his belt and bending down to pick up his wand and Melody. He couldn't believe how light she was.

"Let's go." He nodded towards the main entrance to the Chamber where Fawkes was hovering, waiting for them.

"I'm going to be expelled!" Ginny wept as she stumbled along with Harry. "I was so looking forward to coming her since B-Bill went and... and.. Melody told me all about it... and... and... and... _what'll mum and dad say_?"

Harry didn't know how to respond so he kept silent. Fawkes led the way down the tunnel until the faint sound of shifting rocks could be heard in the distance.

"Ron!" He yelled. "Ginny's okay! I've got her!" He heard a strangled cheer and as he rounded a bend he saw Ron's face peering eagerly through a fairly large hole he had managed to clear away.

"Ginny!" Ron reached out and pulled her through, but she pushed him away and held him at arms length as he tried to hug her. She kept sobbing.

"What about Melody? What's that?" Ron's attention was diverted by Fawkes swooping through the hole and lighting the tunnel with a soft golden glow.

"That's Fawkes, a phoenix. He's Dumbledore's."

"What the hell happened to Melody?" Ron gasped as he saw Harry dragging her through the hole before adjusting her so that he had a better grip.

"Got hit by a stunner, whatever that is."

"Is she still alive?" Ron stared at her in horror.

"Yes. Where's Lockhart?" Harry was desperate to change the subject. What if a stunner was some kind of terrible dark magic that would leave Melody like this forever? It would be all his fault.

"Down here." Ron grinned, jerking his head towards the tunnel entrance. "He's in a bad way. Come see!"

Fawkes led the way with Ron assisting Ginny and Harry following them with Melody. Lockhart was sitting a little ways down, humming placidly to himself.

"Got hit with his own memory charm." Ron informed Harry. "Doesn't know who we are, where we are, or who he is. I had to tell him to stay here. He's a danger to himself, really."

"Hello there!" Lockhart looked up with a vague smile. "Do you live down here?"

"No." Ron looked at Harry and raised his eyebrows before turning his attention to the pipe they had originally come down. "Any ideas on how we're going to get back up?"

Harry was about to reply that he hadn't when Fawkes gave a low trill and went to hover at the bottom, holding out his tail feathers invitingly.

"It looks like he wants you to hold on, but no bird's strong enough to carry us all up to the top." Ron regarded Fawkes uncertainly.

"Fawkes isn't an ordinary bird." Harry adjusted his grip on Melody before walking over to Fawkes.

"Ginny, you hold Ron's hand. Lockhart-"

"He means you." Ron told Lockhart.

"-hold Ginny's other hand."

The three of the connected and Ron grabbed the end of Harry's robes. Harry grasped Fawkes' feathers with one hand. An amazing lightness spread through him and before he knew it he was soaring upwards weightlessly with the others dangling beneath. He could faintly hear Lockhart talking about how this was amazing and just like magic. Before Harry had stopped enjoying the ride, they had landed in Myrtle's bathroom and the entrance to the Chamber was sliding back into its sink form.

"You're alive." Harry looked to see Myrtle staring at them with a stunned expression.

"No need to sound so surprised." Harry got a better grip on Melody, her head resting limply against his chest.

"Oh, well, I had just been thinking that if you had died you would have been welcome to share my toilet." Myrtle blushed silver.

"Urgh!" Ron looked slightly amused, slightly disgusted as they left the bathroom. "I think Myrtle's gotten fond of you Harry. Ginny, you've got competition!"

Tears streamed down his little sister's face as his attempts to lighten the situation went unheeded.

"Where to now, Harry?" Harry could see the concern in his best friend's face for his little sister.

"I guess we just follow Fawkes."

The bird led the way down the deserted corridors and to Professor McGonagall's office. Harry had only ever been there once and that had been by accident. He and Melody had thought it was the Transfiguration classroom during their third week at school. Harry carefully knocked on the door before awkwardly turning the handle and pushing it open.

"_Ginny_!" He stepped aside to allow Mr. and Mrs. Weasley access to their daughter. Mrs. Weasley had launched herself from the chair in front of the fire where she had been sitting and crying while Professor McGonagall had been attempting to comfort her. Said professor had fainted dead away when she had seen who was at the door.

"Ennervate." Harry looked past his newly revived teacher to see Dumbledore standing there, eyes twinkling and a smile on his face as Fawkes flew past Harry to settle on his master's shoulder.

"Sir," If anyone knew how to awaken Melody it was Dumbledore. "Sir, Melody was- I was told she was- stunned. Do you- do you know how-?"

Dumbledore pointed his wand at the limp figure Harry held tightly.

"Ennervate."

Harry looked down as Melody stirred, opening her blue eyes to look up at him.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

I opened my eyes, expecting to see Riddle reappear and to have to continue my duel with him. But instead of that misty figure and a helpless Ginny in an empty hallway, I was looking up into a pair of bright green eyes.

"Harry?"

He smiled, looking relieved.

"You're alive."

It was then I realized where I was. I was in Professor McGonagall's office, being held tightly in Harry's arms.

"Yeah, I think I am." Harry cautiously set me on my feet, supporting me to make sure I wouldn't collapse.

"I thought you were dead." He whispered, anguish filling those green eyes of his.

"You look like you were dead." I looked up and down Harry. He was covered in grime and blood. "Are you injured at all?" I couldn't keep the concern out of my voice.

"Not anymore." Just then, a bundle of red hair swooped past me and Mrs. Weasley was hugging Harry tightly.

"You saved them! You saved them! How did you do it?"

"I think we'd all like to know that." I turned to see Professor McGonagall clutching onto the mantle for support. Dumbledore was beside her. Behind me were Ron, Lockhart, Mr. Weasley and-

"Ginny." I breathed. Thank Merlin she was alright. Ginny took one look at me before bursting into tears and allowing herself to be hugged by her mother. Harry pulled a bloody sword out of his belt and laid it on the desk before pulling out the diary and setting it down too. The black book had a hole burned straight through it. Then Harry began to speak, telling us all about how Dobby and the various incidents they had had together, how he had heard a mysterious voice at the beginning of the year that only he and I could hear, about the polyjuice, how he had found the diary in Myrtle's bathroom and figured it out, going to see Hagrid after curfew with Ron to ask about the Chamber, about him and Ron following the spiders into the forest to meet acromantulas, about figuring out that Myrtle had been the victim the last time and how he and Ron had figured out that the entrance might be in her bathroom, about Hermione finding out what the monster was and them finding the paper in her hand.

I was gaping at him in shock, feeling slightly hurt. He had done all of that, and a good part of it without me?

"Very well then, Potter." McGonagall prompted after Harry stopped to take a breath. "You found the entrance to the Chamber, breaking about a hundred school rules into pieces I might add, but how on earth did you get out alive?"

I wanted to know that too.

Harry's voice was beginning to grow hoarse, but nobody spoke as he told about meeting Riddle, finding me and Ginny unconscious, and about two phoenixes appearing. I perked up at the description of the second, unknown, one. It sounded suspiciously like Tasha. My mind was driven from musing on the secret of the unknown by horror as Harry proceeded to talk about how he had had to fight a _basilisk _with the phoenixes and the sorting hat giving him the sword. He described how the basilisk had bitten him, but then the mysterious phoenix had healed him. He held out his right arm for us to see. There was a black scar.

"Intriguing..." Mused Dumbledore, staring at the wound thoughtfully. "May I ask what colour the tears of the phoenix were?"

"Red, blood red." Dumbledore was staring at Harry intently. I immediately slammed up my occlumency shields. It was definitely Tasha who had healed Harry. Her tears were different from those of a normal phoenix because she was a shape-shifter.

"And then..." Harry faltered, looking at Ginny nervously. I couldn't help but notice that he had been avoiding mentioning the diary and Ginny. He looked back at Dumbledore beseechingly.

"What interests me the most, is how Voldemort managed to enchant Ginny when my sources tell me he is currently hiding in Albania."

"W-What? You-Know-Who? E-Enchant Ginny? But Ginny's not- she hasn't-"  
"It was the diary." Harry cut across Mrs. Weasley and picked up the foul little orange of a book to hand it to Dumbledore. "Riddle wrote it when he was sixteen."

I frowned, retreating into my own thoughts as Dumbledore told the Weasleys that Voldemort had once been Tom Marvolo Riddle. How on earth could a diary written fifty years ago do such a thing to Ginny? How could a mere memory do something like that to her?

"I-I-I didn't know what it was! I-I-I've b-b-been writting back and forth with him all year!" Ginny sobbed to her parents.

"Ginny!" Mr. Weasley was flabbergasted. "Haven't I taught you anything? You never trust a magical object unless you can see where it keeps its brain! Why didn't you show it to me or your mother? A suspicious object like that was clearly full of dark magic!"  
"She showed it to me." All eyes stared at me in shock. I didn't meet any of their gazes but stared at the sword on the desk instead. It was really so much easier.

"But I made you promise not to tell anyone." Ginny choked out.

"I should have broken my promise." I couldn't let Ginny take all the blame.

"You would have died!" Ginny was starting to sob again. "You swore on your life and magic not to tell unless I gave permission and I didn't give it until this morning!"

"I should have thought of asking you for your permission to tell a whole lot sooner!"

"Ginny and Melody have been through a terrible ordeal." Dumbledore interrupted our argument. "Many older and wiser wizards and witches than them have been hoodwinked by Voldemort. There will be no punishment." I felt irritated. Did he really have to add in the 'wiser' part? "They should go to the hospital wing straight away. Bed rest, and perhaps a large cup of cocoa. That always helps cheer me up I find." Ginny's parents began to guide her to the door.

"Thank you, Harry." Green eyes met blue, and the two of us stared at each other for a long moment. I felt hot and turned to follow the Weasleys. Why on earth was I feeling this way?

The four of us left the room and I followed behind the Weasleys, feeling a pang as I watched Ginny with her parents. Suddenly, a wave of loneliness washed over me. I desperately wanted to see Apple Juice and Professor Sev. I didn't know where the Hufflepuff common room was, so...

"I'm going to go see someone quickly."

I left the Weasleys and began to make my way down into the dungeons, breaking into a run and slowing down as I got nearer to Professor Sev's office. I hesitated before opening the door. What if he didn't want to see me? What if he was furious with me for getting into trouble instead of being safely in Dumbledore's office? My hand trembled as I pushed the door open and stepped inside.

There was a short pause before I found myself gathered in a tight hug and I was crying on Professor Sev's shoulder, all the emotions that had been running through me finally emerging. My guilt over not being able to stop the attacks, the weight of my silence, hearing about Harry almost being killed...

"Hush now, Melody. It's alright now." I looked up to see Professor Sev staring down at me with a ferocious tenderness. "I've got you back safely, and I don't intend to loose you again any time soon."

I hugged him back tightly, tears spilling over again as the two of us stood there. If anyone had told me back when I first attempted to hex Professor Sev back in first year that the two of us would become like father and daughter I would have alternated between dying of horror, dying with laughter, and staring at them in disbelief. But now, his walls and my walls were starting to come down. I hadn't let in anyone as a parental figure since my mom had died and he seemed to have some secret grief he was carrying. But now, we had each other. And I didn't intend to loose him any time soon.

**A/N So there's your next chapter... Wow, I wrote a lot in a short time. I hope you enjoyed my modified Chamber scene and the little Harry/Melody hint and the father/daughter relationship beginning to bloom between Melody and Professor Sev. Will the two of them be able to fully cultivate that kind of relationship between them? Will Melody be able to trust him with more of her secrets? Will Professor Sev tell her about Lily? About his Death Eater days?**

**Thank you to all those who reviewed, favourited and followed. Review to find out more!**

_**Shadow**_


	22. Visions of Murderers

I was walking to the feast with Professor Sev when a sudden mental attack hit me. I stumbled, reenforcing my occlumency shields automatically.

_MELODY! MELODY!_

I straightened up with a huge smile. Lisa was awake!

"Are you alright?"

"Yes!" I beamed at Professor Sev who was staring at me like I was about to collapse. "I'm going to be meeting with my recently unpetrified friends!"

"You zoned out there for a moment. Do you recall being hit with any other spells?"

"Uh, howzabout no? I was kind of stunned?" I smirked at Professor Sev, but he didn't smile back. He sent me an exasperated look before pulling out his wand and performing a diagnostic on me.

"It all seems to be in order..."

"Than can we keep going?" I really didn't want to miss seeing Lisa and Justin and Hermione awake. I needn't have worried about Lisa and Justin, because no sooner had I asked to keep moving than I was attacked and dragged into a hug by Lisa.

"You're alive! They said that you had been taken into the Chamber by the monster and that it had tried to eat you and Ginny but you sacrificed yourself to save Ginny and then Harry came along and killed the monster and saved your life by giving you love's first kiss and now the two of you are going to be married and adopt Ginny!"

"Wait, _what?!_" I was stunned. How the orange had that story gotten started?

"Melody," I extricated myself from Lisa to turn and face Justin, who was staring at me sheepishly. "I wanted to apologize for... for thinking that you weren't to be trusted and for thinking that you were the heir. I'm really, really, sorry and I don't know if you can really understand or if we can ever be friends, but-"

"Lisa didn't tell you about first year?" I interrupted. Professor Sev was looking perplexed. "I basically did the same thing to her, so of course I'm going to understand."

"You did?" Justin looked shocked.

"Yeah, didn't you find her talented? Anyways, we worked it out and I'm sure the two of us can too."

"I should certainly hope so." The four of us turned to see Blaise Zabini leaning against one of the walls. "It would be a pity if the Griffindork and the Duffer didn't get together after all this."

"Love you too Zabeanhead." I rolled my eyes. What a Slytherin.

"What did you just call me?" Blaise straightened up, stepping away from the wall.

"Zabeanhead..." Lisa mused with a grin... "I like it."

"Don't you dare." Blaise shot her a death glare. "Don't you dare."

"As you wish!" Lisa began to laugh. "All hail king Zabeanhead, ruler of the talented!"

"You do realize I'm going to have to get you for that." Blaise raised an eyebrow.

"You four are friends?" Professor Sev seemed to be feeling slightly lost.

"Of a sort." I smirked at him. Justin shuddered.

"Please don't do that Melody."

"Do what?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Or that!" Now Lisa was staring at me too.

"Sir," Blaise was looking back and forth between me and Professor Sev, "are you two realated? As in, father and daughter?"

There was an awkward silence in the hallway as Professor Sev and I looked at each other.

"Are we?" We could be, for all I know about any father figure in my life.

"No, we are not. And if you'll excuse me from your little reunion, I need to go to the feast. I trust that the three of you are capable of keeping Melody out of trouble for at least a few minutes while I am gone?"

"Yes, sir." Professor Sev left with a swish of his cloak. Justin stared after him.

"Melody, is it now?"

_Yep._

_Alrighty then Melody, Blaise and I are going to work to connect you to our link with justin and then you are going to share exactly what has been going on with us._

_Understood._

_**Testing, testing, one two three can you hear me?**_

_Yep!_

_**Good.**_

_Melody, I've been working at memory extraction and I'm going to take a copy of your important memories and share them with the three of us. Alright?_

_Should be fine._

_Then concentrate on what you want to share with us._

It took a good twenty minutes for Lisa to complete the process. I was feeling slightly drained and the boys had funny looks on their faces.

"This is really weird." Justin finally said. "It's like I have the memories of things I never did before."

Blaise nodded.

"So, we'll leave you guys to sort that out and go up to the feast?"

"As if." The four of us went up together. Everyone was in their pjs and I had barely set foot inside the hall when I was yet again tacklehugged, this time by Apple Juice.

"You're alright." He held me at arms length and looked me over, as if to reassure himself that I was real.

"Did you really think I'd desert my honorary big brother to struggle through his tangled love life on his own?" I couldn't stop smiling. The Chamber incident was over and everything was right as apples again, until I found myself under attack from Twin whirlwinds.

"It's really her Gred!"

"I can see Forge!"

"No one..."

"Besides Melody..."

"Could ever be..."

"As ticklish..."

"On the elbows..."

"As she is!"

Everyone within the vicinity was laughing as I writhed on the floor, attempting to escape.

"Guys, are you trying to kill her? I just got Blossom back and you're torturing her more thoroughly than any Dark lord or monster could." Apple Juice could hardly speak for laughing. The Twins finally allowed me to regain my breath and I dragged myself to my feet. Justin was over at the Griffindor table apologizing to Harry and then- guess what happened? I was tacklehugged by Hermione.

"You did it! You did it!"

Everything was chaos of the best sort that evening. The celebrations lasted all night and nobody noticed Zabeanhead was at the Griffindor table because people from all the houses were busy intermingling. Harry and Ron had received 400 points, giving us the house cup again. Hagrid showed up at about half past 3, complaining that he would have been there sooner but some raggedly old owl called Errol had taken an overly long time to get to the jail. (Ron and Harry exchanged a guilty look.) Headmaster Dumbledore announced that Lockhart was not going to be teaching anymore since he needed to regain his memory. Almost all of the teachers joined in the cheers at this news, but Professor Sev wouldn't be caught dead doing anything like that in front of the entire school. Professor McGonagall stood up and announced that exams had been cancelled as a school treat and Ginny came in around five o'clock. She stood at the edge of the table, looking at me nervously. I got up and walked over to her, giving her a big hug. How could I hold any hard feelings against Ginny when it hadn't been her fault at all?

With my friends all around me and Professor Sev back to his usual self, watching me to make sure I didn't go running off to find another basilisk while acting like he couldn't care less about a Griffindork, I was ready to take on the world, unless another psychopath I couldn't hurt with any spell I tried because they all went straight through him decided to duel and stun me and use me as a hostage.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Yet again, I stayed at Hogwarts for the first part of the summer. After the students were all gone and the weird horses were coming back, Professor Sev came out to bring me inside.

"What are you looking at, Melody?"

"Those weird horse-things." Professor Sev was silent for a minute.

"Those are called Thestrals. You may have heard many students say that the carriages pull themselves, that they are horseless? That is because the only people who can see Thestrals are those who have seen death."

"Oh."

So I could see the Thestrals since I had seen that one man kill my mother.

"Can you see them, sir?" I hoped I wasn't pushing any boundaries by asking."

"Come with me." Professor Sev led me to the back of the castle and over to the lake, sitting down with his back against the big oak tree.

"Do you know what a Death Eater is?"

"No, sir."

"That is the name the followers of the Dark lord were given. His Death Eaters were all marked by him with the dark mark." Professor Sev hesitated slightly before pulling up his left sleeve to reveal a light red tattoo, a skull with a snake emerging from its mouth. I could feel a faint wave of darkness from it. "I was a spy during the war, but originally I took the mark as a willing follower."

"Why, sir?" I looked up at him. He must have had some reason for taking it. It must have been enough to make him take it, but not enough to keep him from regretting it.

"Because love makes you do foolish things." He murmured softly, turning to gaze over the water.

"Sir?" I trusted Professor Sev. If he was able to successfully survive spying against Voldemort, he must be able to keep secrets and I wanted to trust him with mine. "Do you know what a Firamagus is?"

"Of course. But they're very rare, and I don't think any exist now... nowadays..." He trailed off as I looked him in the eye.

"I'm a Firamagus."

"You?"

"Yes." He showed me his mark, so I showed him my owl form, changing into a cat and then a silvery wolf before regaining my human form.

"So that's where your affinity came from..."

I nodded.

"Sir? There's something else I wanted to tell you about." Maybe he knew something about my golden eye problem.

"And what would that be?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Well, I'm not exactly sure what it is, but every now and then I'll get these visions and then my-"

_A door slowly creaked open. The hooded figure that hovered in front of it glided in at the same time a skinny black dog slunk out..._

_The moon was full, shining into the small room where a man lay writhing in agony. His fingernails lengthened into claws and his mouth was stretching outwards, fur was sprouting from all over his body. A silver wolf watched the man in silence, waiting tensely as the new wolf pushed itself to its paws..._

SPLASH!

I was wrenched back to Professor Sev, sputtering and floundering in the shallows of the lake. He had his wand out and was staring intently at me from the shore. I pulled myself onto the dry land.

"What was that for?" I spluttered indignantly.

"You went into some kind of a trance and wouldn't snap out of it. I figured the water would still be cold enough to wake you up from it."

"Were my eyes golden?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

"Yes. Was this what you were wanting to ask me about?" I nodded.

"I don't know what it is, but I seem to see things that end up happening. In my first year, I saw myself and Harry in the forest before it happened and us in the chess room with Quirrel after us. I also saw Harry talking to Dobby. In second year, I saw Harry and Ron being smashed by the whomping willow and me and Harry finding Lisa and Justin petrified and Harry almost being killed by the basilisk. I don't know what's going on with me!" I hadn't been intending for it to all spill out like that, but once I had started talking I couldn't stop.

Professor Sev didn't speak.

"Do you- do you have any idea of what it is?" I wanted an answer, but at the same time I was afraid that I wouldn't like it.

"When you went to Gringotts in your first year to collect you money, did the goblins perform any checks on you?"

"No, sir."

"Then we should have them perform one." He got up. "Come with me Miss Gwetheren." He was reverting back into teacher mode. We walked through the castle and down the road for a little bit before he stopped.

"Have you ever done side-along apparition?"

"Yes, sir. Professor Dumbledore used it to take me to Diagon Alley."

"Then you will take hold of my arm." I grasped it tightly and felt the squeezing sensation as we apparated to Diagon Alley. Professor Sev led the way to the bank. There weren't as many people here as there had been when I had had to collect my school supplies. We walked up the steps and were bowed into the bank by the goblin guards. He led me over to one of the tellers.

"I need to schedule a magical check for one of my students Knarlthorn, if that would not be terribly inconvenient for you."

The goblin looked up in surprise.

"Severus Snape! What a pleasure, as always." He slid off from his stool. "If you could follow me please."

I glanced up at my teacher. He seemed to know his way around the bank. I just tried to follow closely behind so I wouldn't get lost among the many tunnels that were riddled in the ground. Knarlthorn led us into a large room where about a dozen goblins were talking among themselves. They all looked up as we entered.

"_May gold flow freely through your vaults." _One goblin who looked like he was older than the rest stood up and greeted Professor Sev.

"_May your blade stay sharp in the hour of need." _Professor Sev bowed to the goblin. I had never seen him bow to anyone before.

"_What do you seek from us?"_

"_One of my students has a gift that does not seem to be fully awakened within. She has informed me that no magical check was performed upon her as is customary on her first visit."_

"_Who is this student of yours?"_

"_Melody Gwetheren."_

Uncertain as to the proper protocol, I stepped beside Professor Sev and bowed to the goblin.

"_Gwetheren..." _The goblin exchanged a significant look with another one. _"Ragnok, is this the daughter of the seer?"_

Another goblin moved forward to scrutinize me.

"_She looks it. I would not know if Lydia told her about her gift."_

"_My mother did not tell me anything about the magical world. I was raised as a muggle."_

The room fell silent as all the goblins and Professor Sev turned to stare at me.

"_You speak our tongue?"_

I could have kicked myself. I hadn't realized my Firamagus talent would translate their language too.

"_I do, sir."_

"_As I said, she is gifted but I do not believe her gifts have been fully unlocked."_

"_You wish for us to search her core?" _

"_I do."_

I looked curiously at Professor Sev. What did he mean by searching my core? He turned to me, face a blank mask.

"_You can trust the goblins. A core search is a searching of your magical core to discover your extra talents, such a metamorphmagus abilities. It is also used to discover if any blocks have been place upon you."_

"_Blocks?"_

It was Ragnok who answered.

"_When a young witch or wizard is born to magical parents, the parents perform a core search to discover their child's abilities. Certain children have more magical potential than others and the parents will then bind a portion of the core to prevent the child from dangerous magical outbursts and to allow the child to get used to using a smaller amount of magic so they will be capable of handling a larger amount."_

"_And when the child is muggleborn?"_

"_A check is performed when they first arrive at the bank."_

I was silent. Had a portion of my magic been bound? What would the core check show? Would it betray my links to Lisa, Justin and Blaise?

"_Come, we will prepare you for the check now."_

Professor Sev had said I could trust the goblins and I trusted him. I went into a side chamber with another goblin.

"_Remove anything that could hinder our search."_

I instinctively clutched my bracelet. What would they do with my things?

"_Your possessions will be left here until after the check."_

I took off my bracelet and set it down on a low bench. My pouch went there too. The I placed my wands beside the bracelet. If I was attacked, secrecy or no, I would go Firamagus on them.

The goblin had me sit down, and then he began to trace something on my forehead. I held still, allowing him to complete his tasks.

When he had finished tracing on my head and neck, he brought me back. The rest of the goblins had formed a circle. Seven of them were holding massive jewels. Professor Sev was sitting on a bench outside of the circle.

"_Go to the centre and lay down."_

I lay down. Then it felt like I was being held in place by strong ropes, but the ropes were moving, the ropes were ropes of magic. I faintly heard the goblins beginning to chant as the room began to darken, and then I was falling down... down... down...

I landed on all fours. I was a silver wolf in a forest that seemed to shimmer with an unearthly light. Shapes were flitting about, but when I tried to get a good look at them they vanished. I began to walk, looking around in curiosity until I came to a clear, deep pool. I couldn't see the bottom, but I had a sudden urge to see how deep the water really was. Before I realized what I was doing, I had jumped in, changing smoothly to a large fish. I swam lower and lower, coming closer to what seemed to be the bottom. When I reached it, I saw that it was only a clear sheet of what looked like ice. It didn't belong there so I smashed through it. The shards of ice melted away and I swam lower. I still wanted to get to the bottom, but it seemed so far away.

Then there was another sheet of ice. This one was much thicker and seemed to have a reddish sheen through it. I couldn't break it.

"_Well done."_

I blinked in surprise.

I was back in the room in human form. I sat up and a rush of energy shot through me.

Professor Sev came into the circle.

"_I thank you for your services, noble goblins. May your swords stay sharp."_

"_May your enemies cower beneath you."_

I stood up and Professor Sev led me out of the bank after pausing to collect my wands, bracelet, and pouch. I stopped in shock when we reached the steps. The sun was setting!

"We were in there for a few hours." Professor Sev informed me.

"But- I was only in the forest for half an hour at the most!" How on earth had time gone by so quickly?

"Take hold of my arm." I grasped it and then he apparated us back to the road in front of Hogwarts. This time, the apparition wasn't anywhere near as bad as it had been before. Professor Sev led me inside and down to the summer quarters I had had last year. We went into the music room and he took out his wand, conjuring two chairs.

"Sit."

When we were both seated, Professor Sev took a deep breath.

"Do you understand what happened in there?"

"No, sir." I was actually thoroughly perplexed.

"What did you see during the ritual?"

I described the forest and the pool and how I had broken through one barrier but had been unable to smash the other. Professor Sev didn't speak for a moment.

"To begin with what you know, the wolf and fish represented your Firamagus talents. When you went through the barrier in the pool, the goblins broke through a strong bind that was placed on you when you were very young. The other barrier... was different. They couldn't break through that bind without killing you and possibly someone else."

"What do you mean?"

"It was a blood bind. Someone set a blood bind on your core. A very powerful one that seems to be connecting you to someone else's life force."

"So, they put a bind on my core that means they can't die as long as I'm alive and healthy?"

"Yes."

I really didn't like the sound of that. Who in the name of oranges and apples would link themselves to me like that?

"You can't take it off?"

Professor Sev's eyes darkened.

"No. It was tied perfectly and will last as long as you live. The reason you were getting the visions was because it had weakened in several places. Yous shouldn't have to worry about getting them anymore."

"Great."

"And about the forest..." Professor Sev hesitated.

"What about it?" It couldn't be something worse than the blood bind, could it?

"What do you know about the elves?"

"The what?"

"Magical folk. They are immortal unless the die in battle or forsake their people to live with one of us mortals. There are the light elves and the dark elves. The forest you were in was one in their world. You have fae blood."

"What does that mean?"

"You will need to talk with someone else who has actual elvish blood unfortunately. I do know one, but the elvish guard their secrets jealously. I do not know much about them apart from what I have told you."

I nodded.

"So, that's that taken care of, then? Nothing else to be done?"

"Not quite. Tomorrow, you are going to be given a power controller."

"A what?"

"A magical device that will allow you to control the amount of power you use at a given time. You were using a minimal portion of your magic for your first two years and you will be handicapped if you attempt to continue your schooling with the amount of magic that is now available to you."

"Will it affect my talent?"

Professor Sev raised an eyebrow.

"_You_ are the Firamagus."

"In other words, you have no idea."

That would be something to experiment with. Whenever I thought I was beginning to get used to the wizarding world, it would throw out something else for me to explore. That was fine by me. I was a Griffindor after all.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"_Run! Those are aurors!"_

_AJ sounded alarmed. She never sounded like that when she was with us. _

"_This way!" Apple Juice motioned for us to follow and began to run towards the outskirts of the forest and a large field we could easily see any approaching dangers from. I ran beside Blaise. He was stumbling and cursing under his breath, falling behind AJ and Apple Juice._

"_Stupid... energy draining... Shadow Travel..."_

"_Come on!" I urged. _

_A red spell narrowly missed my head as I ducked under a branch. I saw motion off to my right. A man with long black hair all tangled and matted was rushing towards me and Blaise, a long knife gleaming in his hand. Blaise tripped on a tree root, falling to the ground. I dodged out of the way as the man lunged. He grabbed Blaise and dragged him upright, pressing the knife to his throat._

"_Stand back." He snarled. "Stay away or he gets it."_

_I stumbled backwards a step and was pulled away from Blaise and the man by a woman wearing a black uniform._

"_Let the boy go, Black. Haven't you already murdered enough already?" Her voice was cold and stern as she pointed her wand firmly at him. Four others, three men and another women, were also pointing their wands at him. Black laughed._

_Icy fear tingled through my veins. This man was insane. He was holding my friend hostage, aurors had their wands on him, and he was laughing?_

"_Let him go." I didn't care about any underage restrictions. I levelled my wand at him and Black stopped laughing, eyes widening as though he recognized me. His muscles clenched and the knife dug into Blaise's throat. Blaise stiffened, refusing to cry out. Blood began to trickle onto his shirt._

"_Friend of yours, is he?" Black's voice was hoarse, as though he hadn't used it for a long time. The woman who had originally challenged him stepped in front of me, shielding me from Black. I moved slightly to the side. I was not going to leave Blaise with Black. The woman took a step forward and Black took a step back, dragging Blaise with him as the knife dug further into his throat._

_**Getting... cold...**_

_The blood was running faster and the light seemed to be leaving Blaise's eyes as Black held the knife in his throat._

"_NO!" I lunged forward at Black, but the man was already moving. He dropped Blaise and disapparated, avoiding the stunners from the aurors. Blaise fell to the ground. I dropped to my knees beside him and grabbed his shoulders, but he was already gone..._

"_NOOO!"_

I sat up, choking and gasping, heart racing furiously as I lashed out at whoever was attacking me. Unyielding hands gripped my wrists.

"Control yourself!" I shuddered, forcing myself to calm down. I was shaking all over. Professor Sev was holding my wrists, preventing me from doing any damage to him or strangling myself in my sheets.

"Are you in control?"

I nodded, finally managing to breathe normally. He let go, but remained ready to restrain me again if the need arose.

"What happened?" I rolled onto my side and curled up. There was no way I was going to tell him what I had just seen.

"Miss Gwetheren, _look at me when I am talking to you_." I turned my head to face him, still refusing to talk.

"You are to tell me what just happened. Was it a vision or a normal nightmare?"

I closed my eyes. Why was he doing this? Why was he making me think about what I had just seen?

"Miss Gwetheren, Melody, I am unable to assist you if you do not tell me what you saw."

"I saw one of my closest friends get murdered by a laughing madman! There, happy?" I spat. I had thought I would stop having these visions now that Professor Sev had told me the bind had been repaired. That vision had been one of the worst I had ever had.

"What man?"

"I don't know." My voice was trembling now. "But there was a woman stopping me from helping my friend and she called the man 'Black'."

"_Black?!_"

Professor Sev's expression was one of disbelief, revulsion and anger. Perhaps even hatred?

"You have no need to worry about Black. He is in Azkaban, in the wing with the highest security measures known to most of wizardkind. There has never been a breakout from Azkaban and I doubt there ever will be. There is no chance of him being pardoned or let out on parole, due to the nature of his conviction."

Could it be that my dream was really just a dream after all? A terrible nightmare? I sincerely hoped so, but I felt that it was no mere dream. I didn't want to go back to sleep after that episode.

"Do you need a Dreamless Sleep potion?"

I shook my head fiercely. I had no intention of going back to sleep tonight, potion or no potion.

"Then you will have a Calming Draught." Professor Sev left the room, coming back a few minutes later with a murky blue potion. I took it in one draught, only registering that no calming draught was that colour just before a wave of sleep overtook me. Professor Sev wasn't head of Slytherin for nothing.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

The controller came the next morning. It looked like an analog watch and told the time, but the little box that usually told the date actually showed the percentage of total energy I was running on. There wasn't any danger of me accidentally adjusting the percentage I allowed by twisting the wrong dial since it ran on voice command. There was an emergency feature built in that would ration my energy if I were to fall unconscious and my magic needed more energy to repair the damage, but I hoped never to have to use it. This summer and school year I had every intention of avoiding life-threatening promises and nasty undead people who were supposed to be dead.

I began to practise my Firamagus transformations, experimenting with the settings on my controller watch until I figured out how much energy general transformations took. My favourite forms were an owl, a silver wolf, and a Thestral. I found it fascinating how only those who had seen death could see them. Every time I saw a Thestral, it reminded me of my mother since it was her death that allowed me to see them.

As long as I could see the Thestrals I would never forget her.

I also practised my spell casting, dividing my practise times into non-dark spells and dark spells. I wasn't confident with mixing the two together since I found that once I started casting dark spells it was hard to switch back to light. I also began to notice that when I cast dark spells for a long period of time my personality became darker too. My summer project was to strengthen myself to be able to perform dark curses without changing my personality as well.

Professor Sev was unwilling to allow me to forgo piano, violin, and dance practise. I also kept myself busy completing my summer homework and writing letters to my friends. June sped by, and it was almost the end of July when I received a letter from Justin inviting me to spend the rest of the summer at his house. Blaise, Lisa, Apple Juice and a few other Hufflepuffs had been invited as well. Justin's family had a large wood at the back of their property and we would be camping. I was going to have to floo to Diagon Alley... again. Justin's dad would be meeting some of us and driving us to their home.

I went to Diagon Alley earlier than needed to ensure that if I got lost like Harry had I would be able to find my way to the Leaky Cauldron in time for departure. Flooing went without incident and I used my spare time to explore the alley, purchasing a dragonhide wand holster for Harry's birthday. He got in so many sticky situations he could definitely make use of one.

I met up with Lisa, Susan Bones, Ernie Macmillan, Hannah Abbot and Apple Juice in the Leaky Cauldron and the ride to Justin's home went without incident. The summer looked like it was going to be normal up until AJ came to visit and Mr. Finch-Fletchley proposed a paintball game in the forest.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Paintball is definitely one of the best muggle games ever.

We divided into three teams; Lisa, Susan, and Ernie on Team Red, Hannah, Justin, and Apple Juice on Team Yellow, and me, AJ, and Blaise were team Blue. Blaise had showed up that morning, telling me, Lisa, and Justin in secret that he hadn't been apparated here but had shadow travelled.

There was no way we were going to loose.

Blaise and I made it a priority to take out Lisa first thing, and after that the two of us mindspoke to communicate. AJ showed us several auror hand signals and we dominated the game until it was down to the three of us and Apple Juice.

"Drop your weapon and surrender! We have you surrounded!"

AJ was had the best commander voice ever. She was a metamorphmagus and had practised disguising her voice to match her different disguises. I was perched in a tree with my gun trained on Apple Juice while Blaise was sneaking around behind him. All we needed to do was get a direct hit and then it would be game over, everyone back to the clearing and change up the teams for another game.

"Never!" Apple Juice aimed his weapon at her and the three of us blasted him at the same time. He yelped in shock as mine hit him on the top of the head.

"Game over!" AJ stepped out from behind her bush, Blaise came out into the light and I jumped down from the tree.

"You guys didn't loose anyone?" Apple Juice sounded incredulous. "How did you manage that?"

"Well, we did have a Ravenclaw on our team." AJ beamed, turning her hair from the black she had used for the game to a violent shade of pink.

"And a Slytherin and Griffindor, all of them working together." I smirked at Blaise. He yawned.

"I guess it's a good thing for your team mate that the game's over." Apple Juice lifted his gun over his shoulder as we began to walk towards the clearing. "He looks like he didn't get enough sleep last night."

Blaise shrugged.

"Drop your weapon and surrender! We have you surrounded!"

The four of us turned to face the unfamiliar voice echoing through the trees. AJ's hair turned a lighter shade of pink.

"Run! Those are aurors!"

Orange.

My dream vision.

There was no way I was going to let Blaise die.

The four of us took off running, Blaise stumbling behind the older two.

"Stupid... Energy draining... Shadow Travel..."

"Come on!" I urged, grabbing his arm. When the man emerged, heading towards me and Blaise, I practically threw Blaise forward and out of harm's way. The man grabbed for him, but I punched his arm away from my friend. Then a hand grabbed my shoulder and I found myself being pulled back. Next thing I knew, I had the knife pressed against my throat and it was Blaise in safety behind the aurors.

Oranges and Tomatoes.

"Let her go Black." The leading auror stepped forward, wand at the ready. "Haven't you killed enough already without adding another murder to your tab?"

My skin crawled. Black's laugh was insanely awful. The knife was hurting my throat.

"Let her go!" Apple Juice had come back and was aiming his wand at Black, eyes burning fiercely.

"Your little girlfriend, is she?"

The knife was cutting into my throat so I went limp. Stiffening would make the knife cut faster. Black tightened his grip on my shoulder.

"You're hurting her! Let her go!" Cedric shot a disarming spell at Black. The madman threw himself to the side and then I felt the squeeze of apparition.

But it was apparition gone wrong.

A freezing pain shot through my right arm and I felt blood flowing out from where I was splinched.

"YOU!" An unfamiliar voice returned my attention to my new surroundings. We were in another woods beside a small lake and a man had his wand pointed at Black.

"Remus, I can explain-" Black began, but 'Remus' cut him off.

"EXPLAIN WHY YOU DECIDED TO BETRAY JAMES AND LILY? FIRST YOU GET THEM KILLED, THEN YOU KILL PETER AND LEAVE LYDIA WITH YOUR REPUTATION TO LIVE WITH, AND NOW YOU'RE GOING TO KILL HER DAUGHTER?"

I was wrenched away from Black and he held me at arms length, staring at me as though he had never seen me before. I yanked myself out of his grip as a stunner from Remus narrowly missed Black. The madman disapparated again and I was left alone with someone I had never met before and my wounds from the knife and splinching aching, but the pain was finally beginning to fade.

"Melody, did he hurt you?"

The man's voice was starting to echo around the clearing. The clearing itself was beginning to turn blurry. I had managed to save Blaise by playing the Griffindor like Harry did.

"Harry's... really... rubbing off... on me..."

Everything was starting to spin out of control. I vaguely saw the man coming towards me, but the darkness was faster.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

A man with short reddish brown hair and light green eyes stalked down one of the corridors at Saint Mungo's. He had just finished delivering potions for the hospital and was looking forward to getting back to his home.

"Sir! Serpent? Please wait sir!"

Serpent turned, regarding the man with sandy brown hair, amber eyes and many lines around his face who was running down the hallway towards him

"What do you want?"

"Please, sir." The other man came up to Serpent gasping for breath. "Please, there's a girl... my goddaughter... she's dying and they can't figure out how to save her."

"Your goddaughter?"

"Legally, no, but her parents still made me her illegal godfather. Sirius Black escaped from Azkaban-"

"WHAT?!"

Serpent stared at the man in horror.

"Yes, he escaped from Azkaban somehow, but he used my goddaughter as a hostage and now she's dying. She goes by Melody Gwetheren-"

Serpent was already moving in the direction the man had come.

"What room?"

"The Dilly's Derwent room."

Serpent broke into a run, startling the people he passed by. None of them had ever seen him move so fast. He came up to the correct room, bursting in and making his way swiftly over to a bed that contained a young girl with blond hair, bleeding wounds apparent on her right arm and neck. She was breathing irregularily and muttering deliriously.

"Cromante." Serpent addressed one of the healers. "What have you given her?"

"She was reported to be suffering from a knife wound and splinching, so we've given her a Blood Replenishing potion and attempted to close the wounds but nothing's working."

"You gave her a Blood Replenishing potion?" Healer Cromante shuffled his feet nervously. Twenty years he'd been a healer, and Serpent still managed to make him feel like a clueless six year old. Serpent had even started healing years after him!

"She's suffering from severe blood loss-"

"And giving her a Blood Replenishing potion keyed to normal humans will kill her! You have a duty to check for blood type before giving her one that works for the general population!"Serpent thundered.

The healers in the room cowered before him. So what if Serpent was technically their junior? He had an aura of danger and was well respected. No one crossed Serpent unless they had a death wish, and even then they were probably escapees from the insanity ward.

None of them moved or protested as Serpent picked the girl up from the bed and left the room with her. He strode down the hallways and moved into a small side room that appeared as he approached. He walked inside, setting the girl down on a muggle stretcher before taking a crystal out of his pocket and closing his fist around it. A heartbeat later a young woman was standing in the room, black hair loose and flowing down her back. A quiver of arrows hung over one shoulder, the bow over the other, and a long knife was tucked into her belt.

"Serpent, what is it?"

He pointed at the girl.

"She's part elf. Suffering from a knife wound and splinching. One dunderhead of a healer decided it would be smart to give her a Blood Replenishing potion before checking to see what kind of blood she had. Can you do anything about it, Shade?"

Shade stooped over the girl and placed a hand on the neck wound.

"Sev..." The girl mumbled.

"Not me personally, but our healers should be able to treat her. I will return her in a week if all goes well." Serpent stepped back and watched Shade remove a crystal that pulsed blue from a pocket. She placed it on the girl and both of them vanished in a flash of blue light.

**So... Any theories on who she's been bound to? Her illegal godfather made an appearance, so I'm pretty sure you can guess who he is.**

**I'm not going to be giving away any pairings yet, but I'm pretty sure you'll be able to figure them out as the story progresses.**

**Thank you reviewers, favouriters and followers! Keep up the good work! You make me happy! :D**

**Shadow**


	23. Of Elves and Mortals

The sun had turned green.

I looked around at my surroundings, all bathed in a green light. I was lying in a bed with a thin sheet that kept me warm in spite of its thickness. I had been dressed in a dark green shirt and brown leggings and my hair had been taken out of its braid, allowing it to hang loosely. A cloak hung over a chair that looked like it had been woven from branches. There was a pair of slippers beside the cloak that looked like they might actually fit me. I cautiously sat up. A light web of greenery was hanging over a large window, which explained the light. A thick brown curtain acted as a door to the circular hut I was in. I slid out of the bed, looking at my controller. The watch had frozen, but I was currently running on four percent of my energy. I slipped on the slippers and fastened the cloak with a simple pin.

Had the unknown man brought me here?

Where was 'here' anyhow?

My right arm had a scar running down it from the splinching and I could feel another scar on my neck. I had had a close call with Black. The entire episode had gone worse than it probably would have if I hadn't had 'sensitive' skin from being a Firamagus, but it could have gone worse and Blaise could have died.I reached out with my mind to reassure Lisa, Justin, and Blaise that I was alright, but I couldn't feel anything. It was as though I had been cut off from them completely.

I had to get out of here and back to Hogwarts. Professor Sev was probably furious with me for acting like a stereotypical Griffindor, Apple Juice and AJ were probably blaming themselves for not taking better care of me, Blaise would be beating himself up in silence because it was him I had saved, and Lisa and Justin were probably being upset about not being there for me. I had to reassure my friends that I was fine.

I touched the curtain on the door and jerked my hand back with a hiss of pain. It had burned me. I turned and cautiously touched the curtain on the window. It moved easily and I pushed it all the way aside to see where I was.

It definitely wasn't anywhere I'd been before.

If I was to step out of the window I would have stepped onto a cloud. I was in a tree house high above the ground. I could see rope bridges connecting my tree to others. I was in the top level of the tree city. There were ladders leading to other trees and down at the bottom, I could barely make out what looked like a large group of trees formed into a castle.

I looked around.

I seemed to be on my own.

Turning into an owl, I swooped out of the hut and down towards the ground. The ground the whole city was built on was actually branches woven together so firmly Hagrid could have jumped on it and it wouldn't have broken. I landed in one of the trees and changed back into myself. I didn't know how being in this place would affect my Firamagus ability.

Two people came out of one of the buildings and started walking in my direction.

I didn't move.

They went under my perch, murmuring together as they went. Both of them were women dressed like me with their hair hanging loosely. I slowly turned my head to watch them go out of sight. Both had bows and a quiver of arrows on their backs while one had a sword as well. I had never learned any sword fighting, so I didn't call out to ask them where the orange I was in case they decided to stab me.

"What are you doing?"

I nearly fell off of the branch in shock as I twisted to see who was talking to me.

It was a boy with long curly dark brown hair who looked like he was somewhere around my age. He was wearing clothes like me as well, but his cloak was grey and seemed to blend in with its surroundings.

"Who are you?"

"Damien Lafayette. Who are you?"

Should I trust him with my name?

"Rose Gwetheren."

I had no idea what my mother's maiden name was, but I could use my middle name as my first.

"Gwetheren?" I nodded and he frowned. "I don't think I've heard that name before."

I was shocked. Where on earth was I? He had to be one of the first people I'd met who didn't recognize me as a Gwetheren because my mother had been one.

"No offence meant." He added hastily. "My family only moved in from the forest last year so I haven't have time to meet everyone."

I shrugged.

"That's fine. It's actually nice to be able to talk to someone who doesn't know anything about me. That means they'll be able to judge me for who I am and not for who my family is."

Damien smiled broadly.

"Well, I'm glad to make your acquaintance Rose. What were you watching those two for anyways?"

I shrugged again.

"I guess I was just... bored." Could Damien help me get back to Hogwarts? "Seen any interesting places lately?"

Damien looked at our surroundings carefully.

"Rose, how would you like to leave the city for a while?"

"I'd really like that!"

"The Outer Forest is full of interesting things. I'll show you a shortcut."

"I'll probably forget it."

"Forgetful?"

"Nope. Directionally challenged."

Damien shook his head.

"I'm guessing you're not training to be a pathfinder then."

"Nope."

Damien jumped out of his tree and I copied him. He led me along a narrow path that wound its way through woven branches and thoroughly confused me. The two of us went along in silence until we came to the edge of the branches. Down below, waaay down below, was a forest. It looked darker than this one. More ominous somehow. Damien fastened a rope to one of the branches and began to climb down past the massive trunks of the trees the city had been built upon.

"Forgot your rope?" He called up incredulously as I stood there awkwardly. I shifted uncomfortably. "Good thing mine's strong enough for multiple people then. Come on down!"

Pomegranates.

I took a deep breath and began to slide down, squeezing my heels whenever I wanted to slow down or stop. I was just glad I wasn't afraid of heights.

When we reached the bottom, Damien tugged gently on his rope.

"Come to me." He ordered it. The rope fell down and he coiled it up. It seemed to shrink before my eyes as Damien wrapped it around his wrist and turned to survey our position.

"Welcome to the Outer Forest, home of the dark elves, hags and other nasty creatures."

"Which way?"

This still didn't look like any place I'd been before. Even the Forbidden Forest hadn't had such a dark aura. Damien began to walk off and I followed, feeling a sense of impending doom. Damien made his way along with an air that showed he had been here before many times. We walked out into a small clearing with a stream lazily winding its way along. Damien knelt down to scoop up some water and I saw a shape streak towards him. Almost without thinking, I leaped at him and knocked him out of the way.

_Thunk!_

I looked up in shock at the arrow that had embedded itself in the trunk of one of the trees. Damien shoved me off of him, drawing a sword I hadn't noticed before from over his shoulder.

"Show yourself!" He ordered. A low chuckle came from in front of him. I got to my feet, drawing my wand but keeping it hidden as best as I could. A figure shrouded in black slouched out from behind one of the trees.

"Foolisssssh elvesssss..." It hissed, baring sharp fangs.

"Begone hag, you are not welcome here. I claim this land for-"

The hag leaped at him before he could finish his sentence. Damien slashed with his sword, but the hag grabbed his arm and forced him to drop it.

"Bombarda!" The hag was blasted off of Damien and into a crumpled heap at the base of a tree. Damien rolled to his feet, recovering his sword along the way.

"What was that you just did?" He stared curiously at my sword, but I ignored him. I preferred to answer his question later and concentrate on getting rid of the hags that were now swarming down from the trees to surround us.

"Oranges." I muttered. What spell could I use that would get rid of all these creatures at once?

The hags circled around us, waiting for one of us to lower our guard.

"Come on Rose." Damien hissed. "Draw your sword."

"I don't have one."

"You left that at your hut too?" Damien turned his head to look at me in horror and the hags attacked.

"Diffindo!" I sliced my wand through the air and several hags screeched as they were sliced into. Damien was a blur with his sword and I duelled the hags, blasting them and doing other unpleasant things. A shower of arrows emerged from the trees.

"Protego!" The arrows bounced off my shield harmlessly. Damien stared at me in shock.

"What is that thing?"

There was no time to reply. A large monster, bigger than the hags, was squirming towards us. Damien went white. I didn't blame him. The creature had bulging yellow eyes like a cat's, a mouth gaping and drooling venom, misshapen hand on the ends of convulsing arms, club-footed on six wasted legs, a bloated and obscene torso, rotting an skeletal, and scragged hair covering a lumpy scalp.

"Reducto!" Nothing happened to the monster. My spell bounced off it harmlessly. Damien raised his sword and steeled himself to meet the creature. The monster didn't hesitate, but used one of its legs to trip Damien while two others pinned him towards the ground.

I didn't know what to do.

Magic didn't work on it and I didn't have any other weapons, so I did the smart thing. I charged the creature to try to distract it and let Damien get to his sword.

My weapon of choice: the pin from my cloak.

It's pincers were clicking ominously as I jabbed at its neck with the pin. There was no way this was going to work, but at least I would live up to the title of a Griffindor.

The head popped off the body and rolled away.

"What the orange?"

I stared at the former pin which had randomly decided to sprout into a sword. Two swords as a matter of fact.

The hags around us screeched. The noise was awful.

"Warriors, to me!"

I ducked just in time to avoid getting kicked in the head by a horse whose rider had decided to make it jump over me. Damien recovered as a group of about fifteen men and women rode into the clearing, driving off the hags. By the time the screeches of the hags had faded from my ears, Damien had picked up his sword and the two of us were in the middle of a circle of mounted warriors, all dressed for battle.

"Which of you killed the Cythrawl?"

"Rose did." Damien seemed perfectly at ease. "She saved my life several times during the skirmish."

The warriors all looked at me and I tried to copy Damien's look of I-couldn't-care-less-what-you-think.

"You killed it?" Disbelief was clear in the voice of the leader, a man with shoulder length black hair and piercing icy blue eyes. I nodded.

"Where did you get those swords?" One of his companions, a woman with long white blond hair, was staring at them as though she was a muggle seeing a ghost.

"I tried to stab that creature with the pin from my cloak and the pin turned into the swords."

The rest of the warriors murmured among themselves so softly I couldn't hear a word of what they were saying.

"Come. We will take you back to the city. It is not safe for you in the Outer Forest, as you know full well Damien Lafayette." The man with the black hair fixed him with a stern stare. Damien looked guilty as he took the arm the man offered and allowed himself to be swung onto the back of the horse. The woman with blond hair extended her arm to me, but I hesitated. I had gone with Damien to try to escape the city and get back to where I belonged.

"Would you rather we left you to the hags? I can promise you there are many more than you fought."

I took her arm, shooting a nasty glare at one of the other riders who had the nerve to chuckle at me. The ride back was swift and silent except for the faint sound of horses hooves hitting the ground. We rode into the city through a gate that looked like it had been woven from copper branches. The warriors dismounted in front of the castle I had seen from my hut window.

"Ellysium, have you seen our guest anywhere?" A woman with long black hair addressed the rider Damien had been with. "The healers went up to the guest hut to check on her and found that she was missing."

Ellysium shook his head. "I was out on patrol through the Outer Forest. I have only seen my riders and Damien and a friend of his he took out hag hunting."

"Damien went hag hunting?" The woman turned to look at Damien, who shrunk away from her stern glare. "I don't suppose your friend is a qualified hunter?" She turned to look at me and started in shock.

"He took _you _hag hunting?" Her expression was incredulous. "Damien, you took a mortal with no battle training into the Outer Forest without telling anyone where you were going?"

"You're a mortal?" Damien stared at me in shock.

"So?"

"But- how did you kill the Cythrawl without any training?"

"I already told you guys. The pin decided to transform on me. Now, if someone could tell me how to get back to Hogwarts, I would appreciate it."

"If you had stayed in your hut, the healers would have informed you that we are keeping you here until a week has passed in your world to make sure you are completely healed."

"What do you mean, 'a week in my world'?"

"You are in the realm of the elves. We are not a part of the mortal world and you would not have been allowed here except for the fact that the blood of the elves flows through your veins. Our world's time flows in a separate stream from yours."

Bloody oranges.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

That evening was... interesting. I got a crash course on elvish etiquette and had to endure the curious stares of elves who had never seen a human before. Damien kept shooting me sideways looks like he expected me to grow fangs and attack him at any moment. The woman who brought me here introduced herself as Shade. She had regular contact with the 'mortal world' as the elves called it. I learned that the castle and adjoining buildings were built out of massive trees and all interwoven together. Time worked differently in the elvish world, so I would be spending several months there before I would be returned to Hogwarts and Professor Sev and Harry and all my other friends.

Next morning, Shade took me down to the training area to learn about sword fighting. Damien was already there, practising with another elf. They moved with inhuman grace, seeming to flow from one movement to another without any effort.

"It will take a lot of practise on your part to hold your own like Damien and Raydlin." Shade had followed my gaze.

"Do most elves use two swords?" I was curious. I had only seen them carrying bows and one sword before.

"No. Each elf chooses the weapon they prefer to use. I use a knife, Damien uses a sword, and you use two swords. We are all trained to use a bow and arrow, but many prefer closer combat and use other weapons. My father's preferred weapon is a mace, but he stays with my mother and uses his bow when they go to battle together."

"Okay."

Shade went over to a small hut near the edge of the training area and reemerged with a sword. She stood across from me.

"Take out one of your swords."

I held one of them in my right hand.

"Set it down by the hut. No one will touch it."

I went and set it down, coming back to face her.

"Now draw your other sword."

It felt awkward in my left hand. I was right handed after all.

"I am going to teach you the basics and you are going to use your left hand. When I am satisfied with your performance, you will begin to train with your right hand."

"But I'm right handed. Wouldn't it be easier to start with my right hand?"

"It will be easier for you to learn with your right hand, so we are going to train your other hand first which will make it easier for you to combine your talents in the long run if you have already gotten the hardest part mastered."

Shade stood with her feet shoulder's width apart and her left foot slightly in front of her right, holding her sword in her left hand.

"Now, copy me. This is the basic sword fighting stance we use..."

I spent a good hour copying her, doing my best to get used to using a weapon. My wand didn't count as a weapon since I used it for things other than combat most of the time. Shade was firm, but patient. She didn't allow me to slack off in any areas. Damien had finished his match with a different elf by the time Shade stopped our session.

"Damien, come here please." He came over without complaint. "You are going to spar with Rose. Just a short session, but I want to see how she reacts when faced with an actual fight."

Pomegranates.

I raised my sword again and took the stance Shade had been drilling into my head. Damien copied me, studying me as though he could read my mind and know what I was going to do beforehand. I watched his sword. Damien came at me with a light thrust. I parried, twisting my sword around his to try and disarm him.

I hadn't actually expected it to work.

Damien picked up his sword and studied me again, this time with more interest before he attacked again. I spent the entire thirty seconds attempting to guess what move he was going to use before I was disarmed.

"Rose, take the offensive and attack Damien." Shade ordered. I nodded briefly to show I had heard before attempting a thrust towards Damien's shoulder. He deflected it easily, but I kept my sword moving instead of pulling back and almost landed a blow on his hip. The match continued for about two minutes before Damien went offensive and disarmed me. After that, the two of us traded offensive and defensive positions and kept sparring for about fifteen minutes before Shade called a halt.

"Excellent work, both of you. Damien, that was fine swordsmanship. Rose, you seem to have a natural talent for predicting your opponent's moves and for thinking on your feet. It usually takes most elves months before they figure out how to turn a deflected move into another move that can be used to win."

I nodded, too tired to speak. Damien seemed to be feeling drained too.

"Go have some lunch. We have more training to do afterwards and I think Damien can join us for that as well."

More training?

Tomatoes.

I retrieved my other sword and went to rest my aching muscles. Sword fighting was different from my other exercises. Damien seemed to be more at ease with me now than he had been the evening before when he had just discovered I was only part elf.

"You're going to be a great sword fighter when you're fully trained." Damien informed me. "You might even get good enough to be something near to a challenge." He smirked.

I shrugged.

"I didn't think I'd need to be properly trained to be a challenge to you. I could probably take you with only a few sessions' training."

"Yeah, right."

Our bantering continued throughout lunch and up until we met Shade at the training area again.

"Come along you two." Shade led us up several branch levels and out to a section along the edge of the city where several rocks were lying littered around. She sat down cross legged and we copied her.

"I'm going to be teaching you wandless magic now."

"_Wandless _magic?" Wasn't that supposed to be very advanced stuff? Blaise had gone looking for a book on it in Knockturn Alley, but we had left the shop without any books on it.

"Yes, wandless magic that most humans call 'accidental' magic in children who have not yet found their wands. Once the humans have their wands, they do not nurture the magic within themselves but instead concentrate on allowing their magic to flow through their wand. Learning to use a wand is actually more difficult than training yourself in wandless magic, but after using a wand for years the humans expect that they will be able to use their wandless magic as easily as they could then use a wand. Wandless magic is an art and requires consistent practise to maintain its usage."

That actually made sense, in a way.

"Then why don't humans learn wandless magic first?" Damien was frowning in thought.

Shade raised her hands despairingly.

"They are so set in certain ways that they are unwilling to look for change."

I wasn't sure whether or not to feel insulted.

"But now, to your lesson. Close your eyes."

I obeyed, holding still as Shade continued to talk.

"Reach out your minds. Feel what is around you. Allow the wind to whisper in your ears and discover what is hidden around. Be silent so that that which is silent may speak to you. Listen to nature and hear what it has to say. Everything has a story, and you are here to discover what that story is. Let the sky speak to you so that you may understand it and ask it to obey you. Relax."

There was silence for a while. I don't know how long it was because I went into a sort of trance and time became meaningless.

Something hard dropped into my hand. It was rough and cool, coming from the earth.

"Let it rise higher."

I willed it to rise higher. I willed it to rise above its beginnings and above the earth.

"Open your eyes."

I blinked.

A pebble was hovering in midair in front of me.

"Take it with you. Whenever you have free time, you are to practise meditating and moving the rock around. When you are confident in that, show me and I will move you on to harder things." Damien's pebble floated back to him smoothly, but mine wobbled slightly as it came along. He smirked at me and I resolved to work extremely hard and not let him get the upper hand in this training.

The evening was spent learning the history and customs of the elves. I just wished we could have replaced Binns with Shade. She was brimming with knowledge and had answers for all of my questions, but then again my questions weren't exactly hard since I came up with them on the spot.

The days that followed continued in the same manner. Sword fighting in the morning, wandless magic in the afternoon, and elvish traditions in the evenings. Damien had many friends among the younger elves and they seemed to like me just fine, but his cousin Shylla seemed to dislike me.

The feeling was mutual.

I could not stand the way she put on airs and carried herself around haughtily as if she owned the world. She was even worse than Malfoy. Damien didn't seem to enjoy being with both of us at the same time and I wished I could have gotten along with her for his sake, but we seemed to have very little in common. She didn't come to training often, which I was thankful for, but when she did we fought like cats and dogs.

"Come on. Can't you do anything right?"

I glared at Shylla, studying her as she waited for me to attack. Her strategy was mostly about defending herself until her enemy was worn down and then she struck. I varied between offensive and defensive, reading my enemy during the first bout of our battle and assessing their tactics before using their strategies against them.

"I do tend to do things right, but they are lost upon my opponents when they are too thick to know their right from their left."

Shylla flushed furiously.

I had very few things to hold over her, but her struggle to determine left from right was one thing I enjoyed using.

Shylla attacked and I jumped aside to allow her to pass, trapping her between my two swords. I had been learning to use both of them together for the past week.

"Match!"

I stepped back to allow Shyla to regain her composure.

"Rose, disengage and return to the sidelines please."

I sheathed my swords and walked over to where Shade was waiting for me with Damien, who had been watching me spar with Shyla in silence.

"The week of the mortals is ending tomorrow."

I caught my breath.

I was going back.

I was going back to see Professor Sev and Apple Juice and all my friends! It had been several month in the elvish world, but only a week in the mortal world.

"I will be returning you to Serpent. I trust that you will continue to practice your wandless magic and sword fighting, even if you are unable to find a partner as talented as Shylla to spar with. The two of you give these fights all your effort."

I blushed.

Shade was right, as usual. I put more effort into beating Shylla when we fought because I did not want to give her any reason to look down on me and I wanted to beat her. She was becoming my nemesis, like Malfoy was Harry's. In the mortal world I wouldn't be seeing her, but if I came back to the elvish world our paths and swords were likely to cross.

"I am giving you and Damien the rest of the day off for yourselves. Try to stay out of trouble."

Damien was flushing too now. When the two of us went off exploring by ourselves, trouble seemed to stalk us. He was a prankster by nature and I was more than willing to be his accomplice. Several of our pranks had backfired, we had been given punishments for some that we had been caught pulling, but most of them we got away with. The two of us were a force to be reckoned with.

Shade went over to where Shylla was waiting and Damien and I left the training area.

"So, you're going to be leaving us." Damien finally broke the silence. I nodded.

"And I'm really going to miss you." It was true. He had become like a brother to me. Not an older one, but maybe a twin who could understand me better than I understood myself.

"What are we going to do without you and your brilliant ways of livening up the lives of the elders?" Damien grinned.

"Probably have a quieter time without fear of being trapped by a hag's hair cloak until I can come back again."

"You will?"

"A wild Cythrawl couldn't keep me away."

"It would probably still try."

"I'd poke it with a pin." We both laughed, remembering how I had tried to do that when we had taken our first trip into the Outer Forest. The rest of the day was spent revisiting our old haunts and reminiscing like old people. We stayed up late trying to count the gazillions of stars in the sky and in the morning I met Shade, who was carrying a large blue crystal.

"Place your hand on the crystal."

Damien waved goodbye and I waved back before complying. There was a strong jerk at my navel and then I was howling through space, air whipping my face as shapes blurred past until I landed hard on my feet, falling to the ground with a thump.

"Oranges!"

I staggered to my feet, brushing hair out of my face from where it had been blown.

"She hasn't changed much."

I looked up to see a stranger with reddish brown hair and light green eyes.

"I hope that all the changes are for the better." Shade seemed shy and I stared between her and the man. Did Shade have a boyfriend?

"We shall see. Come along now Miss Gwetheren. I don't have all day."

I stared at the man in shock, jaw dropping as I suddenly recognized him. _Shade _had a crush on _Professor Sev_?

"Yes, sir." I finally regathered my muddled thoughts. "Thank you for your assistance Instructor Shade."

"You are most welcome. If ever you feel you need more, you may apply to Gillespy Academy. We are always looking for new students, and welcome more talented ones as well."

I nodded.

There was no way I was going to go to Gillespy while my friends were at Hogwarts.

I left the room with the man I was positive was Professor Sev. We walked down a hallway, down several flights of stairs, and out into the open air.

"Take hold of my arm."

"Yes, Professor." I smirked as he muttered something under his breath, most likely about the stupidity of Griffindors. We apparated back to Hogwarts and he led me down to the dungeon in smouldering silence, locking the door on the music room when we entered before turning to face me.

"You have some serious explaining to do, young lady."

**A/N Heheheh... So... new characters entering! They may not be too main in this story, but I have a sequel planned out already!**

**Hmmm... a Melody Black? Interesting thought. Kindly remember that things are not always as they seem...**

**Shadow**


	24. War and Maniacs

Severus watched the smile slide off of Melody's face to be replaced by a guilty look. She seemed to have gotten over the incident with Black abnormally fast. Most children would have nightmares after near death experiences like that, but maybe she was immune to such things after her adventures with Harry bloody Potter, the ultimate dunderhead of Griffindor.

"Explaining what, sir?"

"How you ended up nearly getting yourself killed by Black?"

She looked down at her shoes silently for a moment.

"I didn't want to let him kill my friend."

The nightmare.

She had acted on impulse, trying to stop her nightmare from becoming reality. Severus may not have been a divination expert, but he knew that visions like Melody's came true ninety nine percent of the time. How on earth had she actually managed to change the future she had seen?

"You figured it would be better to get yourself killed instead?"

"I didn't mean for him to get me..."

"Yet you took the risk. What on earth possessed you to try to give your life for someone else?"

"I knew that if I didn't do anything he would have died!" Melody looked up at him with a fierce expression. "I have no intention of letting anyone else I care about die if I can prevent their death!"

"What do you mean, 'anyone else I care about'? Merlin knows how Potter and the rest of his minions have escaped death so far in their little escapades."

Melody locked eyes with him and Severus felt himself being dragged towards her by an unknown force before he found himself swirling in her memories, even though he hadn't used legillimency. He tried to pull out of her mind.

_A much younger Melody was running through a forest. Severus could feel her fright and confusion as she jumped over tree roots before bursting out into a clearing. Relief and then sickening terror swept through her as she saw a woman who could only be her mother surrounded by dementors. Severus was helpless as he watched one of the guards of Azkaban hover over to Melody, who cringed away from it. The girl backed away before falling to the ground as the presence of the dementor began to overwhelm her. Lydia was running towards her daughter clumsily as she tried to fight off the effects of the dementors long enough to save her child. The dementor over Melody lowered its hood and grasped the girl, lifting her up towards it. Lydia reached the dementor and wrenched Melody out of its grasp. Melody and Severus were helpless as they saw Lydia's cloak fall over Melody, but not far enough to cover her eyes as she watched the dementor suck out her mother's soul before letting Lydia drop limply to the ground. Severus felt Melody's panic as she waited for her mother to move out of the way. The dementor began to reach for the cloak to reveal the girl, but several patroni chased it and its foul companions away. Melody was frozen and Severus was ready to murder the aurors and their companion as one man he knew too well ended Lydia's life with the Avada Kedavra and began to move towards Melody's hiding place. Just before he reached it, Melody sprinted out from under her cover and grabbed a boot that someone had turned into a portkey moments before the aurors had recovered enough from their shock to try to stun her..._

"_Those are aurors!" Severus was disoriented as he found himself in a new forest with new people. Melody was older now and was with Tonks, Diggory and Zabini. He watched as the four of them began to run out of the way, not wanting to come in between the aurors and their quarry. Zabini was obviously exhausted, but Melody stayed with him until Black came racing towards them with a knife gleaming in his hand. Zabini tripped and Black was on him in a flash. Melody turned back to help her friend, but the aurors had caught up to Black by then. Severus felt Melody's fear as Black laughed at the auror's order to surrender. Azkaban hadn't done anything for Black's sanity. When the knife began to dig into Zabini's throat, Melody stepped forward and begged Black to let him go. Severus saw shock and recognition flare in Black's eyes and stepped between the two of them, forgetting it was only a memory. Neither seemed to see him as the confrontation continued before Black finally killed Zabini and apparated away. Melody ran forward to her friend, but his eyes were blank and he was unmoving._

_Unmoving like Lydia._

"The universe doesn't revolve around Harry." Melody's voice was a whisper as Severus found himself returned to the present. Her hands were clenched and her eyes were full of pain. Severus had to wait for several heartbeats before trusting himself to speak.

"How did you do that?"

"The elves taught me."

"Were those memories real?"

"The second one was my nightmare. But the first..." She took a deep breath. "The first was real."

The two of them stood in silence. Severus couldn't believe what she had had to witness as a child. He had been a spy and had seen so many people killed for Merlin's sake, but seeing his old friend die like that...

Severus wanted to kill the bastards that had made a child watch her mother get kissed by a dementor before being murdered. He wanted them to die painfully, to make them experience what she had gone through.

"I had a chance to change what happened to Blaise." Melody finally broke the silence. "It would have been my fault again if he had died." She was looking back at the floor, but jerked her head up in shock as Severus grabbed her upper arms.

"Never let me hear you blame yourself for your mother's death again." There was no bloody was he was going to let her do that. He knew too well what guilt could do to a person, how it could warp their thinking and drive them to do irrational things.

"But..."

"I mean it!" How in Merlin's name could he impress the importance on her? No wonder she hung around with the Boy-Who-Lived-To-Try-To-Kill-Himself-And-Drive-People-Insane. "Those creatures that took your mother's soul are called dementors. They guard Azkaban and the only thing that can protect you from them is the Patronus charm which is highly advanced magic beyond what is taught at your level. Your mother could produce one, but she obviously didn't have her wand with her. There is no possible way you could have changed the outcome even if you had had a bout of accidental magic. Please Melody, let this unfounded guilt go. Your mother is dead; there is and was nothing you could do to stop that."

By the time he had finished speaking, he was holding her while she sobbed. Severus didn't know exactly when he had decided to let Melody into his carefully shielded heart, but he would never let anyone see what she meant to him. She was one of the only living people who had accepted him for who he was and he didn't want to let any harm come to her because of his association with her.

When she had regained control, Severus took off the receptacle that changed his form into that of Serpent.

"I knew it was you." Melody informed him with a shaky smile. "You have a style about you that no one can copy."

He did?

"I do?" He raised an eyebrow and she nodded.

"The way you make your cloak billow behind you, the way you can keep the class silent without an effort and strike terror into the hearts of the dunderheads you have to teach without saying a word..." Melody trailed off. She was back in control of her emotions and the two of them sat down in front of the piano.

"How did the elves teach you that mind thing in such a short time?"

Melody looked puzzled for a moment before a look of understanding appeared.

"I was in the world of the elves, and time works differently there. I was there for a few months in their time."

Severus was stunned.

No wonder her brush with Black didn't seem to be affecting her. She had had a much longer time to get over it than he had expected.

"Was that the only thing you learned?"

A sword was at his throat before he finished the question. Melody smirked, withdrawing the weapon and touching the tip. It shrank, melding with half a pin to create the full article.

"I've become fairly decent with my swords, but I have a lot more training to do before I can hold my own against a master. And I've only practised against three different elves. I was mostly kept away from elvish social life during my stay."

Severus didn't know how to react. On the one hand, he was glad she had a weapon besides her wand that she was comfortable with. She could defend herself without using her wand and any opponents who underestimated her were in for a surprise.

On the other, she was only thirteen for Merlin's sake! There shouldn't have been any reason for someone that young to need to fight. She should have been a carefree stuck up teenage girl who gossiped with her friends and wore things she considered pretty and flirted with boys he would drive away if he disapproved of them.

"Mind magic and swordfighting." Severus shook his head in disbelief, deciding to reserve judgement on the sword aspect until further notice.

"And wandless magic."

"_Wandless?!_"

A look of intense concentration made its way onto Melody's face as she reached out an empty hand towards a stack of music books, levitating them about a foot into the air. She held them there for a few seconds before lowering them back to their original state.

"I can't do wandless with less than five percent of my energy."

She seemed to be expecting a reprimand.

"You can do it with only five percent?"

Melody nodded. Severus closed his eyes for a moment.

"Please tell me you're not actually expecting me to be disappointed."

"You're not?"

"Most witches and wizards can't do it at all."

"Can you?"

Melody yelped in surprise, flailing around for a handhold as Severus levitated her into the air without moving a muscle. Severus smirked as he lowered her back onto the bench.

"How the bloody pomegranate did you do that without moving?" She yelped.

"I went through quite a bit of training to get to that level. I'm sure you'll be able to do that someday."

A dangerous smile began to play around her mouth.

Severus was certain that by the time she got to that level he would be glad not to be on her bad side.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

I was glad to be back.

I was upset about being back.

It was possible.

I was glad to see Professor Sev and Hogwarts again and was looking forward to seeing the rest of my friends again. I wasn't happy about having to leave Damien and Shade behind or about having dementors take up guard around the school. Professor Sev bought my books for me to prevent me from having to go by the awful creatures. I had gotten near to one once and I had heard my mom's last words to me again. I had woken up in my summer quarters with Professor Sev holding a large bar of chocolate and a promise to attempt to teach me the patronus charm on condition that I didn't tell anyone.

I didn't mind that condition and the next few weeks were spent seeing how much mist I could make and having some chats with Professor Sev.

One such day, shortly before September, I had just finished a patronus session with Professor Sev and I decided to be a Griffindor and ask him a question that had been bothering me for a bit.

"Sir?"

"Yes?"

"Can I ask you a question?"

"What would that be?" He raised an eyebrow and I hesitated before asking.

"When you were acting as a spy during the war... did you... did you ever have to... y'know... kill... people?"

That had been bothering me since Shade had told me and Damien about one time she had been in a duel with a Death Eater and had killed him. Was it... right?

"Why are you asking?" Professor Sev sent me a piercing look.

"Well, Shade told me that she had killed a Death Eater during a duel once, and... if you were a spy and had to fit in with the Death Eaters, would you have had to kill someone to keep up the act?"

Professor Sev was silent for a moment.

"Imagine this scene: You have captured a Death Eater, one of the Dark Lord's inner circle members, and he has killed many people. He tells you he has hostages inside a building behind them and there are other Death Eaters ordered to kill them if anything bad happens to him. If you let him go, the Death Eaters inside will not kill the hostages immediately. If you kill him, they will all die. If you let him go, his track record says that he will cause the deaths of many more people. If you wait too long to decide on an answer, he has a better chance of escaping. What do you do?"

"There is a right answer?"

Professor Sev seemed to be waiting for me to elaborate. Pomegranates, why did he have to give me such a difficult question.

"He might reform if I let him go..." I began uncertainly.

"He might not. You have no way of knowing either way, but past records show that reformation is highly unlikely."

"So... You're saying... I should let the people die?"

"What is the lesser of two evils? Having ten people die immediately or hundreds later?"

I massaged my temples, sincerely hoping to never have to make a choice like that.

"Or what about this scene: You have captured a notorious Death Eater, high ranking, powerful, blood thirsty, the kind that would find a way to break out of Azkaban if there was a way. This Death Eater has already proven he can escape from Azkaban and the ministry wants to put him back in prison. You have him at wand point. Do you kill him?"

I stared at Professor Sev in shock.

"Or do you hand him over to the ministry to be allowed to escape again and kill other people."

I swallowed.

"I don't think I'd be able to kill anyone." I whispered. "Even if... I don't know... But... If he were to escape again and kill other people... Wouldn't their deaths be my fault... because I could have stopped him?"

"If the ministry is not doing its job properly and you have the opportunity to stop a person like that for good, I would say you should. I sincerely hope you will never get into a situation like that. But, yes I have killed innocent people during my days as a spy. I did my best to avoid that situation, but if it came down to revealing my role or killing the person I would kill the person. I managed to save many more lives by doing that but- but I truly wish I had never had to do that. We needed a spy... someone had to do it. If I didn't, who would have?"

I didn't know what to say.

"But that was all during the war. War changes things... turns friends into enemies and enemies into friends... kills people who deserve to die, and those who don't. Be thankful we're not at war now. There is no need for me or you to have anything to do with bringing justice to those who deserve it. Worry about other things. War is an unpleasant topic and I would prefer not to discuss it."

Professor Sev sent me a sharp look and I nodded, understanding that I was not to bring it up at all.

I didn't know whether or not I was glad to have had that little talk.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Professor McGonagall took me aside shortly before the train was due to arrive on September 1st and held up a thin golden chain with a small hourglass on it.

"Do you know what this is?"

"No, professor."

"This is called a time-turner. You and miss Granger have been allowed to have one each. I had to write many letters to the ministry to convince them that the two of you are deserving. There is no other way you would be able to take all the classes you signed up for."

I stared at the innocent looking item in shock.

"One turn will send you an hour back in time. You may only use it for your classes. You are not to tell any of your friends about it, including Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley. Most importantly, you must not let _anyone _see you in two places at once. If the workload becomes to much for you or we discover that you are abusing your privileges, it will be removed."

"And if I were to misplace it?"

"Make every attempt not to. But if you do, you are to notify a teacher immediately. Each time-turner is capable of moving two people back in time at once. If you and Miss Granger ever need to share with each other, make sure it is only the two of you using it or unwanted side effects will occur."

I nodded nervously as she handed it to me. I hung it around my neck, tucking it under the scarf I was wearing to hide my scar.

A loud noise from outside the room alerted us to the arrival of the rest of the student body.

"Go join your friends." Professor McGonagall swept out of the office and I followed closely behind. I was having troubles finding my way around again after not being in the school for a few months, which was frustrating.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione were near the far edge of the crowd of eager students fighting their way into the Great Hall.

"Mr. Potter! Miss Granger! Come with me please!"

Harry looked alarmed and Hermione looked startled. Ron was looking bemused as they left him.

"Hi Harry! Hi Hermione!" They waved back to me, but the crowd quickly swept us apart. I joined Ron and we went into the Great Hall and over to the Griffindor table, making sure to leave space between the two of us for Harry and Hermione to sit down when they returned.

"Any idea what McGonagall wants them for?"

"I know what she wants Hermione for, but I don't know why she called Harry over too. Did he get into any trouble over the summer?"

Ron laughed and moved closer as the Sorting started.

"Well, his aunt came to visit the Dursleys for a week and said some things about his parents and Harry lost control of his magic and blew her up before running away."

"He blew up his aunt?!" I gasped, automatically clapping with the rest of the Griffindors as we received a new member.

"Yep. They had to call in the Accidental Magic Reversal squad and obliviate her."

"Wait, I thought you said he exploded her?"

"No, he blew her up. Made her expand and swell and bounce around."

I bit my lower lip, trying not to laugh as an image of a woman who looked like Petunia Dursley swelling and beginning to bounce around.

"Only Harry could get away with something like that. He didn't get expelled or punished or anything. And guess who was waiting for him when he arrived at the Leaky Cauldron?"

"Professor Dumbledore?"

"Cornelius Fudge, the minister for magic."

I gaped at Ron in shock. Why the pomegranate would the minister for magic get involved in something like that?

"'Course, it could have been about the dementors."

"What dementors?" I asked sharply.

"A dementor came on board and searched the train. Harry fainted and Professor Lupin managed to drive the thing away."

"Who?"

Ron pointed at the staff table and I turned to see a man with sandy brown hair and shabby robes sitting with the other teachers. Professor Sev was looking downright murderous as he tried to avoid looking at Lupin.

"He drove it away?" I frowned. He didn't look like a powerful wizard, but appearances could be deceiving.

"Yeah. He gave us all some chocolate afterwards."

"So we finally have a Defense teacher who knows something about what he's supposed to be teaching. Thank apples!"

Ron snorted.

"What?"

"'Thank apples'?"

"Better than 'thank Merlin'. He's been dead for how long now?"

Ron rolled his eyes and turned his attention back towards the dwindling line of first years.

"I hope they hurry up. I'm starving!"

"Of course you are. You're a boy."

"Yes, I'm a boy. And a growing one too." His stomach growled as if to prove his point. I shook my head as 'Zweirs, Megan' was sorted into Ravenclaw and Professor Flitwick rolled up the scroll of names. Several Ravenclaws were looking towards the doors and I followed their gaze. Harry, Hermione and Professor McGonagall had just walked into the room. Hermione was looking delighted and Harry was looking disgruntled.

"There they are!" I nudged Ron as Harry and Hermione made their way over.

"What was that all about?" Ron asked Harry as he sat down. Harry was about to explain when Professor Dumbledore stood up.

"Good evening to you all! It is wonderful to see so many familiar faces again and delightful to see so many new faces as well! I have several announcements to make, and as one of them is very serious I think it best to get it out of the way before your minds become befuddled by our excellent feast."

"I wonder what that could be about." I muttered sarcastically.

"As you all know after their search of the Hogwarts Express, we are currently playing host to some of the dementors of Azkaban."

I shuddered, zoning out for the rest of his explanation as I remembered the one that had nearly ended my life.

"On a happier note, I am pleased to welcome two new teachers to our ranks. First of all is Professor Remus Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor."

I was one of the few who clapped hard for him as he stood up and nodded. If he could drive away a dementor from my friends, he was a good teacher in my books.

"And for our second appointment, well, I am sorry to inform you that our Care of Magical Creatures instructor Professor Kettleburn has retired this past summer in order to enjoy some time with his remaining limbs. Filling his position will be none other than our own Rubeus Hagrid."

The applause was much louder this time, especially at the Griffindor table.

"We should have known!" Ron roared as he pounded the table. "Who else would set us a biting book?"

I began to laugh and did my best to calm down as the noise died down. Who else indeed?

The feast began and I caught up with my friends. Harry had indeed blown up his aunt and had run away, but he couldn't tell me why until there was no one else to hear. Hermione had gone to France for vacation and Ron and his family had gone to Egypt. I decided not to mention my little sojourn into the realm of the elves, because that would have brought up questions about Black and I really didn't want to get into that kind of discussion. In all honesty, Black terrified me. He was a maniacal killer and he was willing to hurt those close to me. I desperately hoped to never meet him again.

"Let's go see Hagrid!" Harry urged as the feast ended. The four of us wove our way through the departing crowd until we reached the staff table.

"Congratulations Hagrid!" Hermione squealed. Hagrid beamed at us, face red.

"All down teh you four. Clearin' me name an all. Headmaster Dumbledore came down ter me hut righ' after Professor Kettleburn said he'd 'ad enough. It's what I always wanted..." He was overcome by emotion and had to blow his nose on a huge handkerchief.

"Move along you three. Go on now!" Professor McGonagall came over to shoo us away. I turned back to wave 'goodnight' to Hagrid and noticed the new teacher, Lupin, staring at me intently. When I met his gaze he quickly turned away. I frowned and looked at Professor Sev to see if he had any explanation. He just smirked at me and nodded for me to keep going.

I followed Harry down the hallways and before we went to the Griffindor common room, we stopped by the old training room. Hermione quickly poked her head out of the hole to make sure no one was lingering in the corridors.

"So, Ron told you about the... incident with my aunt?"

"Yes." I nodded. "He said the minister for magic spoke with you about it?"

Harry looked grim. "Have you heard about Sirius Black? The one who escaped from Azkaban? He's supposed to be after me."

_No... No... No... _

"He can't be." I could barely whisper. Black... After Harry? Bloody ORANGES!

"He was Voldemort's right hand man. Whenever Voldemort was defeated, Black was captured after killing a wizard and a bunch of muggles. He's a maniac and apparently thinks that killing me will bring back his master."

"A-are you alright Melody?" Hermione interrupted hesitantly. "You've gone... really... white..."

How the orange was I supposed to be alright?

"So... so... you're telling me, that there's a maniacal killer after you... and the only extra protection we've got is dementors... which we already know he can get by?" I asked faintly, ignoring Hermione.

"That's the government for you." Ron muttered. "It's awful here. I wish we'd copy the muggles' governing system. It couldn't be anywhere near as bad as ours."

"What do you want them to do? Close Hogwarts? Homeschool me? Have Dumbledore attend all my classes with me as my personal bodyguard? After all, he is supposedly the only one Voldemort ever feared, and Black was only his right hand man and not his equal."

"I certainly hope being afraid of Dumbledore will keep him away. But it didn't keep Quirrelmort away."

There was no way I was going to get any good sleep that night.

**A/N So... A little bit more info about what Melody did in the elvin world, more detail will come in future chapters. And she's getting to meet Professor Lupin 'properly' now. Any ideas on how they'll get along together? And how do you think Melody's relationship with Professor Sev with affect her views of Professor Lupin? Will Black come to Hogwarts?**

**Review to get more story and find out more!**

**Shadow**


	25. Professor Boggart

**I'm back and I'm not abandoning this!**

**The computer was infected with a virus and my technopeasant mother didn't want to take it in to the repair shop because her few tools she uses were still working...**

**Here's the next instalment and I sincerely hope and plan to update regularily. **

I really dislike the hallways in Hogwarts.

After two whole years of being in the castle and spending my summers here, I was lost again. I blamed it on my time spent in the elvish world. I had had so much going on then I hadn't bothered trying to keep track of the hallways here.

"What have we here? A little third year off on her own? Oooh, and no teachers here to help her!"

I turned to see Peeves hovering in midair, grinning at me as a bunch of weird plant things pulsed in his arms.

_Pomegranates..._

I ducked and started running away as Peeves pursued me with his amunition. Whenever one of the plants smashed into the walls or floor, green worms exploded from the pods. I really had to learn a shielding spell.

_THUMP_

I crashed into someone and would have fallen over backwards if they hadn't caught me.

"Sorry! I'm so sorry! I really didn't mean to-"

One of the pods smacked me on the shoulder as Peeves cackled dangerously.

"Ooh! If it isn't Lupin coming back to school! Why would Lupin come back as a-" Peeves blew a raspberry. "Teacher? He's gone loony! He's gone loopy! He's loony, loopy, Lupin!"

"Good to see you too Peeves." Professor Lupin sounded slightly hoarse as he shook his head. Peeves threw the rest of the plants at us before zooming off singing 'loony, loopy, Lupin' at the top of his lungs.

"I'm really sorry about running into you sir." Professor Lupin looked slightly startled as if he was just realizing that I was there and he was still holding onto my arm where he had grabbed me to stop me from falling. He let go as though burnt.

"Not at all." He looked uncertain, as though he wasn't sure what to make of me. I could have walked away then, but I hesitated for some weird reason. Professor Lupin seemed... different somehow. I couldn't explain it.

"MELODY GWETHEREN!"

We both started as Lisa stormed towards me.

Why hadn't I sensed her?

Had something happened to our connection?

"Hi?" I said feebly before she grabbed my shoulder and started dragging me off. Professor Lupin didn't say anything.

"We're going to the room." Lisa hissed. I followed along and when we finally got there Blaise and Justin were waiting for us.

"Melody!" Blaise jumped up from the chair he had been sitting on. "You're alive!"

"Yeah."

Justin stood up too. The three of them stood facing me and I realized that I couldn't mind link with any of them.

"What happened?" Justin finally broke the silence. "Blaise came back with Diggory and Tonks saying that you had been kidnapped by Black and then our connection was cut and we haven't heard anything from you since."

"And why did you let Black get you anyhow? Did you think he'd use me instead?" Blaise raised an eyebrow.

"He would have. And you would have died."

A tense silence filled the room after my statement as Blaise stared at me in shock.

"How the hell would you know something like that?"

I took a deep breath.

"It's... a kinda long story. Maybe we should sit down?"

The room provided a large couch for the three of them while I got an armchair. They were silent as I told them about my trip to Gringotts and my night vision and going to the elves. I trusted them to keep my journey a secret, but I still didn't give out any details.

"So you're saying you're a seer?" Lisa finally spoke.

"Of some sort."

"And you saw Blaise die?"

"Yeah."

"And you were able to change that?"

"Mhm."

"That's impossible!" Lisa got up and began pacing furiously. "Being a seer I could understand, but if that had been a real vision you wouldn't have been able to change what happened to Blaise. The only seer who could have done that is the True Seer, but you can't be the true seer because these visions you've had are only minor ones and you would be able to See a lot more than them and you would be making prophecies and the True Seer has always had elvish blood. I'm definitely missing something here!"

"I don't know what's going on!"

Lisa finally stopped pacing and flopped back down onto the couch. Justin looked completely confused and Blaise was looking extremely serious.

"I would have died if you hadn't done that?"

I nodded. It would have been awful to loose Blaise.

"And you knew that there was a chance that that maniac might have come after you instead?"

I nodded again.

"Griffindorks." Blaise huffed. "Wouldn't it have been better to have tried to avoid the situation entirely?"

I opened my mouth to reply, paused, and realized that I had never even thought of that.

"There is a reason Griffindors are Griffindors." Lisa gave Blaise a wry smile.

"There's nothing wrong with being a Griffindor!" I protested.

"I never said there was. But, moving on from your little heroic act, why haven't we been able to link with you?"

I shrugged.

"Maybe because I was in the elvish world?"

"Doesn't explain why we couldn't connect after." Justin frowned. "Did you learn something there that made you unable to connect?"

"Only thing that could have done that would have been her learning wandless magic." Blaise informed him.

"Wandless magic would make us unable to connect?" I was startled.

"Yeah." Blaise nodded. "The reason our magic 'connected' us together was because it wasn't fully developed. I did a bunch of reading on that subject when I was younger. The reason we go to Hogwarts to develop our magic is because most magical homes don't have the magical residue required for our magic to develop properly. Magic is like a talent, and to develop talents you have to work on them constantly. Because we have a 'special' kind of magic it requires a slightly different atmosphere to be able to develop correctly. That's why we can connect. We need each other for our magics to develop fully. Wandless magic is difficult for many wizards to learn to control because they become used to channelling their magic through wands. Learning wandless magic stabilizes our magical cores and if we learned it we would technically be considered 'of age' because the Trace on our wands stays until we have sufficient control over them."

"I read about the Trace last year!" Lisa interjected. "Each wand is made so that when it chooses its witch or wizard a piece of complex magic begins to monitor magic usage to help ensure that each young magic user gets enough training to properly develop their magical core and that nothing goes wrong. When our cores become stabilized, we don't need to be monitored anymore so the trace vanishes."

"That's why I wanted us to learn wandless magic." Blaise nodded. "If we could learn that, we could use magic outside of school."

"What about our talents?" Justin asked. "I use mine outside of school."

"They're the exceptions." Lisa beamed as she eagerly shared her information. She seemed slightly jealous of the fact that Blaise was giving the answers to topics he only knew about because he had been brought up in a wizarding family while Lisa was a muggleborn. "I read about it in our first year. Because the Trace is applied to our wands and not to us directly, if we perform magic without our wands it can't be traced."

"So... you're saying that I'm... of age... because I learned wandless magic?"

The three of them stared at me in shock.

"They taught you wandless magic? How did they do it? Was it hard to learn?" Lisa was eager for knowledge.

"Why doesn't Melody tell us about it tonight?" Justin was checking his watch. "We should be heading down for classes now."

"Alright with you?" Blaise raised an eyebrow.

"Sure." I shrugged. "I'd be fine with trying to teach you guys wandless magic."

It would also be my way of secretly making it up to them for not telling about my time turner. I was feeling rather apprehensive about it, but I had agreed to us it and I was not going to back out now.

Lisa waited excitedly for Professor Lupin to come into the DADA class for the third year Ravenclaws and Griffindors. Melody was sitting with Potter, Granger and Weasley as usual and looking alert and prepared.

Lisa frowned slightly.

Hadn't Blaise said he had an Ancient Runes class with Melody at this time?

Professor Lupin walked into the class and Lisa's attention snapped away from her friend and onto the new teacher. He was shabby looking, but she could sense his pleasure at teaching and his nervousness which was especially obvious when he was looking at... Melody and Potter?

The two of them were close friends and Lisa did think there could be something more in the future, but why would Lupin be more nervous around the two of them than any other student? Granger and Weasley hung around Potter just as much as Melody, but Lupin was definitely more at ease with the two of them.

"Good afternoon class. Please put your books away as we will not be using them."

Now Lisa was really looking forward to this lesson. A lesson where they could actually use magic!

"Would you please take out your wands and follow me."

The students filed out of the room after him, Lisa unobtrusively slipping close to Melody who was just behind Granger.

"Looking forward to this?" Lisa whispered.  
"Definitely!" Enthusiasm was radiating off of Melody. "What do you think we'll be doing?"

Lisa shrugged.

The students rounded a corner to see Peeves upside down and stuffing a wad of gum into a keyhole.

"I would take that out if I were you, Peeves. Mr. Filch won't be able to get into his brooms."

Peeves responded respectfully be blowing a loud raspberry and singing the same words over and over again.

"Loony, loopy, Lupin! Loony, loopy, Lupin!"

Professor Lupin sighed, but Lisa's senses told her that he wasn't actually upset at Peeves' behaviour.

"Watch closely now, class. This is a very useful little spell. _Waddiwasi_!"

He pointed his wand at Peeves and the gum flew out of the keyhole and through Peeves' nostril. The poltergeist cursed before zooming away.

"Cool, sir!" Thomas from Griffindor sounded as though the teacher had just performed an amazing piece of magic. Lisa had discovered that spell in her first year while reading a library book, but she figured that a Griffindor like Thomas would have had no idea of how to learn through books.

The third years crowded into the staff room which was deserted except for Professor Snape. Lisa sensed a surge of loathing fill the potions master as he looked at Lupin, which turned into anger as he noticed the DADA teacher glance at... Melody? She knew Melody was fond of the jerk of a teacher, but she would never have believed that Snape was capable of caring for a student from another house, let alone a Griffindor.

"Leave it open, Lupin." The new teacher had been about to shut the door. "I'd rather not witness this."

The bat of the dungeons swept towards the door, pausing for one last snarky comment.

"In case you haven't been warned, this class contains Neville Longbottom. I would advise you not to entrust anything to him unless he has Granger whispering in his ear."

Lisa felt the embarrassment flooding from Longbottom and Granger, the anger Potter was trying to hide, and Melody's exasperation. Lupin was feeling guilty and angry at this comment, but he was the best actor Lisa had ever seen and merely raised an eyebrow at Snape's words.

"Actually, I was hoping Neville would assist me with the first part of the lesson. I am sure he will perform admirably."

There was a tension between the two men and Lisa could tell that both of them were implying something more with their words, but she had no idea what it might have been. Snape sneered and swooped from the room, leaving the class behind.

The wardrobe where the teachers kept their spare cloaks suddenly rattled and most of the students moved back warily. Lisa couldn't hold back her smile as she realized that most of them were the courageous Griffindors.

"Nothing to worry about. There's a boggart in there." Lupin was amused at the Griffindors' reactions as well. While most of the third years from both houses were looking apprehensive now, several clearly had no idea what a boggart was. Lisa wasn't looking forward to this lesson anymore. She knew exactly what was coming.

While Melody, Potter and Granger answered questions about boggarts, Lisa concentrated on controlling her fear. It wouldn't be good for her to start off a wave of panic among the students who were already starting to look afraid.

When Longbottom told Professor Lupin that his greatest fear was Snape, Lisa couldn't help but notice that the only Griffindor who didn't find his fear funny was Melody, who was feeling irritated. Lisa wondered what her friend's boggart would be.

She got her answer after Finnigan's banshee lost its voice.

"Melody! Give it a try!"

Lisa felt Melody's uncertainty. It seemed as if her friend had no idea what her boggart was going to be. When Melody stepped forward, there was a loud _crack _and the boggart transformed into a figure clad in black, writing on the floor in obvious agony. Its cloak was thrown over its head, masking the face of the person, but it didn't seem as if Melody needed a face to know who the figure was.

A wave of terror swept over Lisa's friend. Melody was frozen in horror and panic as she started trembling, breath coming faster and faster.

"Melody, it's only a boggart." Professor Lupin's voice was firm, but Lisa could feel protectiveness emanating from him along with a frustration and an unwillingness to actually go forward to help her. Lisa felt a surge of anger towards the professor. He could see that Melody wasn't going to be able to handle it and he was too scared to go help her?

Lisa swiftly moved to put herself in between the boggart and Melody. There was another _crack _and the boggart switched to a lethifold, hovering nearer and pouring its power out on the major empath. A real lethifold would have been much more powerful, and Lisa's sensitivity towards other's feelings would have made her an easy target as the negative emotions poured in.

"Riddikulus!"

The boggart began projecting emotions of giddy happiness and Lisa stepped forward to let Thomas take over.

Melody was shaking, staring straight ahead as she clenched and unclenched her hand on her wand. Lisa took her arm and guided her to the back of the staff room and out into the hall.

"Melody, it's alright. It was only a boggart and not a real person."

Melody leaned against the wall and closed her eyes.

"I-I don't know what I was expecting, but it certainly wasn't..." She trailed off. Lisa put an arm around her shoulders and concentrated on sending a soothing feeling to her friend. Melody managed to calm down by the time the rest of the class was finished. Most of the students were chattering excitedly among themselves, but Potter was looking worriedly around with Granger and Weasley in tow. When he saw Melody, he made a beeline for her.

"Melody?"

Melody managed a small smile.

"I'm fine, Harry. I was just expecting something else and the boggart took me by surprise. That's all."

Potter seemed to relax a bit.

"We should be heading off to our next classes then." Granger said briskly. Melody nodded.

"See you tonight?" Lisa asked.

"Definitely. Thanks, Lisa."

As Lisa went off to join her fellow Ravenclaws, she heard Granger and Weasley talking about their boggarts.

"What would it have been for you?" Weasley asked Granger. "A piece of homework that only got nine out of ten?"

Lisa couldn't help smiling at that. Granger would have done excellently in Ravenclaw academically wise, but from Melody's stories about the adventures she had had with Potter and the rest of the Golden Quartet, Granger was in the right house.

It was only after Lisa had gotten settled into her Charms lesson that she started wondering who it was that Melody had been terrified for.

**A/N So... Melody has met Professor Lupin and now she's discovered she can use magic outside of school. She's been freaked out by a boggart and Lisa is starting to be suspicious of her timetable. **

**BE WARNED**

**This is going to be one busy, complicated and different school year for Melody... Poor her**

**:D**

_**Shadow**_


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